Tonight was magical! My mom and I packed up Aaliyah and Shelby went on a Christmas light tour. I have been trying to come up with some new ideas for George and me to incorporate with our family holiday traditions. My sister-in-law told me about this fabulous neighborhood in Brea that is legendary in its Christmas light displays. She said it was amazing and my nieces and nephew loved it last year. Since Aaliyah loves lights, I thought it would be a great activity for her.
George was stuck working, so I roped my mom into going with us. She usually indulges my crazy ideas. I love that about her. As soon as the sun went down, we dressed the girls up in warm clothes, grabbed some yummy hot chocolate, and headed over to Brea. My stepsister and her family met us over there. Which was a nice treat for the girls. They love chasing their cousins around. And I love that all of the running around tires them out! It’s a wonderful trade off.
I was not prepared for how elaborate these displays were. We’re talking Clark W. Griswald style setups. Almost every house was decorated. Some had music playing. One family had hired some high school students to play Christmas carols out front. There were Santa Clauses, reindeer, snowmen, sleighs, penguins, and so much more. One house had a snow machine and he made it snow for the kids. They loved it!
We walked the streets of the neighborhood along with dozens of other families. It felt so festive. Kids were singing Christmas carols as they walked along. It was great watching Aaliyah’s face light up when certain things caught her eye. And Shelby loved it all, especially the hot chocolate and candy canes. We wandered through the neighborhood for about an hour. It was so extensive, we only saw about half of it. One house even had a live nativity scene with real animals. Crazy!
As we walked along, I felt joyous, but it felt like something was missing. I loved that my mom and the girls were enjoying it. But it really bummed me out that George and Cory and Krystal were all missing out on the fun. I really wished they were all there with us. I was hoping we would be able to come back later in the month with everyone in tow.
I think we have a great new family tradition for George and me to incorporate with our childhood traditions. Tonight really got me into the holiday spirit. I have been reading a lot about families who do Polar Express nights and tour the neighborhoods to look at lights. And while I think it’s a great idea for the future, Aaliyah is a little too young right now. Something to save for later. If you haven’t already, I recommend you and your family do a Christmas light tour. And don’t forget the Hot Chocolate!
Happy Holidays!!!
Adventures in Motherhood 