It’s still November, but the telltale sign of Christmas and other holiday lights dotting the nighttime landscape locally is a great way to remind West Islanders that a more festive month is on the way, one replete with more good feelings than you can hope to shake a stick at.
November is the darkest month, with no snow to reflect what little light makes its way into our atmosphere after about 4:20 p.m. after we revert to Eastern Standard Time – although I'll take sunlight in the morning rather than a sunny drive home at the end of the day – on the last weekend of October. So, from a seasonal-depression perspective, I appreciate them.
My daughter and son also appreciate them, and putting everyone in a better mood is precisely the point of those twinkling displays, are they not?
There are those out there who disagree with me. I understand the theory of Christmas creep. I, too, lament the appearance of Christmas decorations in stores at the end of October. I loathe the endless Christmas songs that have populated my favourite commercial radio stations (yes, I realize I may be the only person who still listens to commercial radio) and I sure as heck have no interest in wrapping gifts or making Christmas cookies.
OK, may be the cookies.
That said, though, I have discovered that not only do I like the early appearance of Christmas lights on local homes – I find them a delightful way of sprucing up a month that competes with February for ' the worst month of the year,' title on a yearly basis.
It's so dark out that even Darth Vader would be hard at work taping reflective strips to his uniform if he weren't in a galaxy far, far away. The fact of the matter is it's fun, a quality that is, sadly, lacking in many of November's endeavours. A couple of weeks ago, I was out walking my dog at night – as I often do – when I happened upon a home with Christmas lights already up and lit up. The effect on my psyche was almost instantaneous; I perked up and my pace quickened. The epiphany soon followed; I was festive inside because the lights were festive outside.
Let it shine!
