It’s the Holidays— Deck the Halls, the Yards, the Y’Alls!

by Lu Lewis and Edna Varner

There are certain things Lu and I believe we just need to do during the holidays. We attend at least one of the holiday events we loved as a kid or one our parents forced us to attend–as a gesture to honor their efforts. We visit our closest friends, call, mail a card with a thoughtful note, or send a gift. We try to carve out long extra periods of time to share our love with family. And we decorate the house to reflect whatever we celebrate during the month.

Lu is the decorator extraordinaire. Any day you visit the place she calls her humble abode, it rivals the cover of House Beautiful—both elegant and enchanting, depending on whether you look through the lens of an adult or a child. I like it because it’s warm and welcoming, complete with special memories, treasures old and new, whimsical sayings adorning the halls and walls, books arranged in unusual ways like little works of art, and comfy chairs both antique and modern that say, “Stay a while and visit.” Lu loves decorating, so there’s never a need to guess about the holiday. You only guess how she has so many clever ideas for making simple thinks look splendid.

I, on the other hand, have what could be called your basic no frills living quarters. My tree, I’ll admit, stays up all year so that I can plug it in whenever I need a shot of Christmas. Over the years I’ve met others who leave their trees up (we are thinking of starting a support group), including a local doctor who decorates his office tree for every holiday throughout the year. Decking the halls is a special act of love and a gift to all who will enjoy your handiwork. It’s just something you ought to do or you’re not entitled to the holiday.

Deck the Yards

If you want to see love that surpasses all understanding, you just have to do a serendipity tour of holiday yard decorations in the Chattanooga area. Someone you know can tell you where to find the “must see” neighborhood displays with thousands of colored lights, gigantic, often scary inflatables, enough snow cotton to meet the first aid needs of a midsize hospital, moving thing-a-ma-bobs, toy trains and carousels, and funny, festive amateur sculptures built with everything including the kitchen sink and the American flag.

You have to call it love when even during a poor economy, seasonal self-appointed architects give the gift of their time, decades of ornaments, and their front lawns to lift the spirits of perfect strangers who literally line the streets for blocks in cars packed with parents, grandparents and the kids–all eager to see the brightest, tackiest, Christmas displays ever!

We thought only the South was inclined to light up the continent from December 1 to January 1 , but our regular review of the internet surfaced evidence that tacky, whacky holiday yards displays are a national phenomenon. So if for some reason you can’t get out of the house for a tour during the holidays, you don’t have to miss your yearly fix of over zealous holiday yard decorating. Just do a virtual neighborhood tour by logging on to tackychristmasyards.com.

Deck the Y’Alls!

It’s not just the halls and walls that ought to shimmer during the holidays. We shouldn’t spare the sparkle that individuals can spread!

Lu and I love to don and see the donning of holiday jewelry, festive vests or sweaters, and glamorous holiday dresses. The sweaters and dresses can get pricey, but the costume jewelry is affordable enough to buy new if you don’t want to dig out the ones you wore last year.

Men can finally get their time in the spotlight during the holiday season by replacing the basic blue tie with one of the many brightly colored offerings that show they have a fun side. Holiday socks are also gaining in popularity. (Lu has the best collection of socks for all seasons.) T-shirts are a hit for the teens who can not be pried from their jeans. Two of the funniest t-shirt captions we’ve seen recently are Dear Santa, I can explain… and Hey, Santa, define “good”. Double the fun of wearing funny holiday t-shirts by making them at home instead of ordering from a company.

So why go to the trouble of dressing merry and facing the risk of a little more attention than usual? It’s because someone is looking for a reason to smile, and that reason can be you! And if during the holidays you find yourself all dressed up with no where to glow—-visit a senior citizen you know, find a free event, or glow as appropriate where you work. If all else fails, one website suggests hosting an “Ugly Christmas Sweaters” party for fun or as a fundraiser for your favorite charity. Just remember not to wear the sweater someone gave you last Christmas!