I had to take a bit of a detour coming to work this morning. Main Street here in town was closed between University Blvd. (Center Street) and 200 North. The reason? Crews were putting up the Christmas decorations for the season. Now, the Historic Downtown Lighting Ceremony is still a couple of weeks off, but ready or not, the holiday season is here. Sorry if you still have the humbug spirit in you, but it’s here.
So, we will start to see holiday decorations adorning the homes and businesses here in town. In fact on home down the street from where we live already has Christmas lights up and going. They’ll get no criticism form me. There were the days, when I, as the curmudgeon of the family, would delay bringing out the decorations and try to stifle the spirit of the season from coming into the house. It was a losing battle, as I was put in what is all to familiar position on today’s world of being totally out voted by the rest of the family.
But now, as you may know, the spirit of the holiday season can’t come soon enough for me. Years ago, when we lived up in Salt Lake City, I did watch as that city went through the transformation into decorating for the Christmas season, and I thought they went all out. Anchored, perhaps, by the transformation of Temple Square into a Christmas wonderland, Salt Lake didn’t shy away from the holiday festiveness.
One year on Christmas Eve, we flew from Salt Lake City to Southern California to visit my family. The difference was stark. Very little holiday decorations to be seen. Not even any Christmas music on the radio (until 6PM that evening)!…