Mystery of the Missing Christmas Lighting Display
As Christmas approaches one family tradition is to drive the neighborhoods enjoying the Christmas lighting displays everyone puts up. The last few years there have been less and less. I understand, as our own lighting display has been downsized.
Last year many around our area protested a utilities rate hike in November set to reap the benefits of those who put up Christmas lighting displays. Yes, sadly we were one of those, since the year before our December utility bill had been a lot higher than in previous years. We couldn’t afford another huge increase, and the deliberate timing of the hike was deliberately grinchy, so we put up only the minimal lighting display. It was a sad year for enjoying Christmas lights displays.
This year, the rate hike will be put off until January as in previous years, except last year. Wise decision utilities department. The lightening displays have returned, and ours included.
The real point of this post is for many years, we watched a certain home in our area add to his homemade Christmas display and looked forward to seeing what had been added each year. It was not religious in nature, but fun.
There were Peanuts characters, then Tweety Bird and its companions, Little Mermaid, the Grinch, Disney Characters, Winnie the Pooh and pals, just to name a few, all homemade. Spotlights illumined the display. Suddenly about four years ago, not only were there no new characters, but the display disappeared entirely. Each Christmas we checked, still the house was dark, no sign of the previously wonderful Christmas light and character display.
Had they moved, after all this is a military town, people come and go a lot? Was there a family illness or emergency that caused the display to go missing? While we reveled in the other fantastic lighting displays, we were saddened as we drove past the dark house checking each year.
No we never knew the people who lived in that house. But we felt a connection to them watching the display grow year after year.
On December 10, 2017, we clambered into our truck, hot chocolate in hand, to go check out the neighborhood Christmas lights. With trepidation we turned the corner where the darkened house had been for several years. Lo and behold, in all its previous glory the Christmas lights and beloved characters were on the front lawn, house and roof.
We were ecstatic to see the house lit up once again, the Peanuts merry-go-round spinning slowly, all the other cartoon characters smiling broadly. No new characters, but that was all right because the decorations were back.
We took pictures, and decided to share the beloved display with you. Funny how one thing can brighten your spirits as that house did ours that night.
This year I believe we will go back to that house and knock on their door and tell them how much we have enjoyed their display throughout the years. Also how much we missed it when it was gone. Christmas lighting is a time consuming, expensive endeavor and a labor of love. To those of you who set up Christmas displays year after year, THANK YOU!
Please share your Christmas Traditions with us in the comments.
A Magic RedemptionA Demon’s Witch Series, #5
by Tena Stetler
Date of Publication: December 5th 2018
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Cover Artist: Kristian Norris
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Tagline: Even with magic, finding your place in the world proves more difficult than imagined especially when someone is out for revenge.
BLURB
Synn, a demon, carries extraordinary magic and power, but there is more within her than she dreams. Kidnapped as a child, her captors murdered her family and forced her into training as a warrior assassin.
When an assignment goes horribly wrong, she finds herself at the mercy of the friends and family of her intended target. Offering valuable information in exchange for protection, she gains her freedom, but it is not without its challenges.
Gavin Shaughnessy is the publican at his family’s Irish pub. He is certain Synn is meant to be his and isn’t bothered by her past. He must find a way to convince her their future together is stronger than the dark memories that haunt her dreams.
When her past comes calling for revenge, will their love survive the raging inferno she brings down upon them? Or will the searing path of destruction destroy all they hold dear.
Time seemed to
go on forever as she slowed and walked backward for a while, her foot steps in
the sand filling with water as she traveled along the shoreline, as if nature
erased her intrusion. She turned around and continued her trek. Unaware of how
long or how far she'd walked, the sudden outline of a figure, cloaked in the
fog, jogging toward her caused panic to set in. Her heart pounded rapidly in
her chest, she swallowed hard, adrenalin pumping through her veins as flight or
fight response kicked in. Digging her good foot into the sand she prepared to
attempt a sprint…to where. Where the hell am I? A quick glance around, she
spied a light from a familiar building far off on the bluffs as the figure
burst from the fog. A tall, wide-shouldered male with long muscular legs came
closer. She froze.
Once lithe,
strong and agile in her former life, a boss’s retaliation had taken a toll on
her body. Now tired her gait was uneven and unsteady, even a slow sprint would
likely end with her face planted in the sand.
Author Info
Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal romance. She has an over-active imagination, which led to writing her first vampire romance as a tween to the chagrin of her mother and delight of her friends. After many years as a paralegal, then an IT Manager, she decided to live out her dream of pursuing a publishing career.
With the Rocky Mountains outside her window, she sits at her computer surrounded by a wide array of witches, shapeshifters, demons, faeries, and gryphons, with a Navy SEAL or two mixed in telling their tales. Her books tell stories of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Well, okay there are a few companion animals to round out the tales.
Colorado is home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-five-year-old box turtle. When she’s not writing, her time is spent kayaking, camping, hiking, biking or just relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors. During the winter you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate and a big bowl of popcorn.
Website: http://www.tenastetler.com
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My Say What Blog - http://www.tenastetler.com/category/my-say-what-blog/
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author
Twitter Page: www.twitter.com/TenaStetler
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