Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Outdoor Christmas lights

Most everyone loves Christmas lights. In my youth very, very few folks had outside lights at Christmas. We walked or dad would ride us around residential  areas to see Christmas trees in the front windows of houses.

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Even back then the cities did string lights back and forth across the main roads down town and they always excited me.

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Many years later I joined the US Navy. I was ordered to Norfolk, VA for further assignment. Upon my arrival I was amazed at the outdoor lighting on Ships. All the lights reflecting in the water was sheer beauty. The Submarines had their sails decorated I remember one had a giant Santa like he was going down the island which was made to look like a giant chimney.

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It looked like hundreds of ships all decorated. I was so impressed that once we were settled in our 8x42 house trailer, with our two sons in Norfolk. I bought up a stack of outside lights that were on sale just after Christmas. Pre planning for next year. Storage was a premium in the trailer too, but we kept them.

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I believe that was in the 60’s and the next Christmas we were in Government housing and there was an electrical shortage due to costs. We were not allowed to use the outside lights, I was very disappointed.

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We never used those lights, they were finally sold in a yard sale. But I still remember vividly that Christmas in Norfolk when those outside lights really made Christmas alive with a great festive feeling. In my mind, that week of seeing those scenes nightly was worth the loss of an investment.

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To this day, I love outside lights, especially if they reflect in an ocean,  pond, river or lake.

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Merry Christmas to all.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Do you decorate outside?

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rhinonight020

3-D truck painting, how about some fish?

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Forever remembered, the Nativity!

8 comments:

betty said...

We didn't decorate outside this year, but for the past few years son has put up a string of lights. We used to be more fancier when we were younger, LOL.

I've never seen the Navy ships lit up. Maybe we'll have to take a drive some evening soon and see if anything along the water is decorated. I know a lot of the sail boats where we walk Koda have lights and I too like the reflection in the water of them :)

betty

TARYTERRE said...

I love the lights. Beautiful, indeed. We went to see some last night. MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and Sherry.

Cindi said...

we decorate. Last year we were the only house on our tiny street, this year 6 more houses, put up their lights. Our dock is shiny pretty too this year. I love seeing the boats, float around our little lake showing their Christmas spirit. I bet a ship is magnificent indeed.

Unknown said...

I remember every December we would ride to the place where we would pay the electric bill (some 20 miles from where we lived). I'm not sure if that was the only way we had of getting it there on time, or if Daddy just intentionally did it that way so that we could enjoy the Christmas lights. We loved them.
Usually there was one place that had all blue lights. We looked for that each year, and I remember how the colors could have such a strong impact on my emotions.
One year Daddy decided we would have those large lighted plastic candles on the front porch, and that was a big deal. Also every year, Daddy would go to Grandma's house and put those big C9 lights (I like to call them gumdrop lights because of their cheery colors) on the big cedar tree that grew right beside Grandma's house. When the lights were on, we would look at Grandma's delighted face and see the reflection of the tree lights in her wire-rim glasses. It's a wonderful memory.

Paula said...

No we don't decorate. I think John would love for me to do it but I'm not up to it. I remember the first time we had a decorated tree when I was young. Mama bought bubble lights. Your memories are wonderful.

Rick Watson said...

There are places around here that do a remarkable job of exterior illumination, as Clark Griswald might say.

You're pictures of the ships are excellent. I'd love to see that.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I've never seen ships lighted up for Christmas, but it must be really beautiful. Here I have candle lights in the windows and wreaths and roping on the porch. The candles are new to me this year and I love them as they are battery operated and on a timer. They come on the same time every evening and shut themselves off. Merry Christmas to you and yours !

Unknown said...

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