When I was a
little girl I always looked forward to the night our family would pile in the
car to go for a drive to see the Christmas lights. We’d wander all over SE
Portland, but we would always end up at one particular street near Mt Tabor just
a few miles from our house. I don’t remember the name of the street, but we
called it Candy Cane Lane. This cul-de-sac included about 20 houses all on one
side of the street with a park on the other, and it ended with a large
turnaround. Every house on Candy Cane Lane was decked out with twinkling lights
and Christmas figures in the yard. One house even had Santa’s sleigh and eight
reindeer on the roof. Sometimes residents dressed up in elf costumes and passed
out candy to the kids in the cars. We always loved that!
But my
favorite part came when we reached the turnaround where a live nativity had
been set up. All the cars would slow down as they drove past to look into the
stable and see Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus in the manger. We’d roll down our
windows and listen to Away in the Manger
or Silent Night playing in the
background.
I loved
visiting Candy Cane Lane…because even amid all the colorful decorations and twinkling
lights the true meaning of the holiday was not forgotten. Looking into the
manger and seeing the baby there made a deep impression on my heart, and I
still cherish Him today. . . Jesus the True Light of the World.
“Jesus spoke to the people once more and
said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in
darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12
Carrie Turansky is the author of ten
inspirational romance novels and novellas, including her latest, Snowflake
Sweethearts. www.carrieturansky.com
Posts
Carrie, I love the Christmas lights, too, and I love to decorate. Thanks for sharing your childhood memories.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous sight! I love seeing the lights and the nativity scenes. I live in a wintery climate, and I remember as a child feeling awful that Jesus had to be born in a cold stable with all that snow around. What a relief to later learn that Bethlehem probably didn't have snow.
ReplyDeleteI love having the Christmas lights on the tree on! It just gives the dark house a special "glow" that makes the house warmer. My husband turns them on when he leaves for work and when I get up in the morning, it's a treat to get up to! I also love to drive around town at night and see them on people's houses! I live in a wintery climate also.
ReplyDeleteCarrie, I've been to Candy Cane lane too!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you grew up around Portland.
I love looking at the lights also. Last year I was in Victoria and at a friends place for a meal and we went looking at lights. One house was so beautiful they also had a manger. They had the house decked out with so many different displays in different windows like villages etc. but as you go in there is a beautiful manger scene that is just stunning. This house was the pick of the night.
ReplyDeleteOne we saw had both nativity and secular but it was a hotch potch and lost its effectiveness. If they had divided it it would have been good.
Near us is a man who is a professional animater by day. He does his house up so that in the backyard pool, he has Rudolf on an iceberg like from the movie.
ReplyDeleteIt's too cool.
I love lights.