Christmas Cheer

Last night my BFF and I took her kids to see the Christmas lights in Sleepy Hollow to continue a tradition passed along from our own respective childhoods. It's still as amazing now as it was then. Funny how every year, once I see the elephant made of lights sitting on the tree swing, I am catapulted back to my youth. It's at that moment that the Christmas spirit finally arrives for me. Until seeing the elephant last night, the only Christmasy thing that I felt was the dent in my bank account. But with the kids in the car, with their wide eyes open trying to take everything in, I could remember how I felt when my parents took me. Each house competing so hard to be different and more spectacular than the next house. Each year more extravagant than the next. 3 streets and 6 blocks of Christmas light extravaganza. Southern California Edison must be having a field day with the supply and demand of electricity in this neighborhood.
With both kids in the back, and our mugs of hot cocoa in our hands (lap if you are me, since I drove), and the station set to Christmas carols, the season truly had begun. Ryan pointed out every toy soldier that he could see, and Alyssa fell in love with the candy canes. There was Sponge Bob and the characters from the cartoon dressed up in Christmas regalia, and there was Jack Skeleton from The Nightmare Before Christmas. There were polar bears ice skating, and an electronic dancing Santa that was larger than life. There was reindeer pulling a sleigh, and lollipops lighting pathways. I think that magic only happens when you aren't looking for it. And though I wasn't looking for magic last night, I found it in the eyes of two kids who still believe in Santa Clause.