A Touch of Christmas Magic

As we slowly drove down the street, a streak of colored lights poured out from a maze of trees.  Against the darkness, a magical array of animated, moving holiday forms were swinging from various corners of an immense yard. We watched big-eyed like little children in an old-fashioned candy store, eyeing a life-size live train set circling in a wooden caboose-like structure. Santa and his reindeer traveled across the sky while animated polar bears pendulated around massive trees. Unexpectedly, a family appeared in the driveway as friendly as can be, ready to share their back story on how their holiday display became on one of the famous stops on Holly's Tacky Christmas Lights Trail. 

Serendipity?  No, this was a well-planned short outing in Herndon, Virginia for us to be dazzled by a fantastic Christmas display. If we could rate the owner's tremendous work since June 2020, it would be a ten for ingenuity, skill, and creativity. If you want more proof that this holiday sighting is a gleeful one, than look at the wonder from my grandchild with a penchant for amazing sights. 

"What did you like the best, Sierra?"  

"Baby Jesus and the trains, Grandma."

Even a pandemic cannot deny the magic of Christmas!

Offering this Tuesday Slice of Life for Two Writing Teachers' community of writers.

After four months of being isolated from family, we finally traveled to Virginia for the walkthrough of our new home that has been built via mostly digital communication. It was a thankful moment seeing my granddaughter Sierra, 3, and her baby sister, Aurora, 1o months old. While all members of the family have been cautious about our whereabouts, being in the open-air with masks and social distancing felt almost normal. We talked, laughed, and enjoyed a magical pre-Christmas moment.