I think I write this column every year around Christmas time but it means a lot to me so here I go again.
I love the Christmas lights that are up all over this time of year.
Just look at Big Sandy. Thanks to the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce and many joyous volunteers, the town just pops at Christmas and is lovely and gives even more meaning to the birth of the Christ Child and all that has meant for so many generations.
I think I can remember the first Christmas lights to be strung in Havre. I think they were on the big brick Clack house on Second Avenue. They had evergreen trees out front and at Clacks Hardware they were selling Christmas lights as it was sort of a new fad to string lights on your trees at Christmas time.
Coming back in the dark from Whitefish to Havre on the Empire Builder around Christmas is an experience too. Look out the dark windows of the train and all of a sudden out in the middle of no where there is a farm house decorated to the nines and it simply looks glorious lighting up the prairie all around it.
I have put up Christmas lights for many years. This year I am not able to do it, but still, I can look out my windows and see lights all around the neighborhood.
They are glorious as well and show how wonderful a town can get together just in putting up lights this time of year.
I really loved driving through the dark reaches of the Bear Paw Mountains this time of year because even there, all of a sudden there was a burst of energy and lights everywhere singing out “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”.
It is all simply wonderful and lovely and a glorious way to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child.
Maybe put some Christmas lights on your own house this Christmas if you usually don’t.
Then your house will announce, “Joy to the World”!
