FLIPPING THE SWITCH AT CREEKSIDE

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS ALL LIT UP!

 

As much as I have lived and learned, it always seems I am out hanging holiday lights in the cold contrary to best intentions.

Several internal voice alarms told me to get out my chords and UNtwist the tree lights during the awesome week of sun and warm temperatures during the week leading up to Thanksgiving.

But free time escaped me. So I set aside the Christmas decorating chores until the day after this year's turkey feast...

And of course, true to tradition, there was a 100% change in the weather on Friday! The frosty morning did not deter Black Friday shoppers, but, MY plan was to hang lights that day. My poor timing left me with a runny red nose and chills, battling bulbs in the bitter, numbing flurries.

I will be more proactive and hang lights earlier next year. It's the same vow I have uttered time and again. I remain determined to see our home glowing with the cheer of being lit for the holidays despite always experiencing frustration during the process of stringing them with stinging fingertips from a steady blast of arctic air.

ONCE I GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED HOWEVER, THE TWINKLE OF THE SEASONAL LIGHTS PUTS ME IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT!

The thought of NOT faithfully illuminating my home never enters my mind!

I love Christmas lights. As a kid, we would get in the car on Christmas Eve and pass the anxious time waiting for Santa to arrive, riding around our neighborhood. We would stop to 'ooh and ahhh' at the most elaborate lighted abodes. We would cast our votes and select winners in our own holiday light contest, which we made up.
These personal memories probably explain why I am still to this day fascinated with the seasonal lighting that comes out at this time of year.


Several nearby neighborhoods decked their town halls this month much to my delight. I jumped on the first chance to get out and enjoyed this years' first holiday lighted sights at Gahanna's community holiday lighting kickoff.

I went to Creekside Park for the presentation sponsored by AEP Ohio® and the City of Gahanna Department of Parks & Recreation. Once the sun began to set all the switches were tripped, a Winter Wonderland appeared right before my eyes.

There were a number of families and their pets parading merrily down the lighted wooded Creekside park path as soon as this happened. I couldn't help notice that I was not the only one there getting all lit up with the holiday spirit.

The fading colors of fall shined vibrant under the glow of hundreds of red and green bulbs. Creekside's signature miniature watermill which is located at the entrance to the park, provided a dazzling double image reflection on the water. It was an inviting scene as I crossed over the bridge at the beginning of this light show journey.

Just around a small curve in the path, there was a group of children busy going about inspecting the postal facility where their lists can be mailed to Santa.

Gahanna's Creekside display includes several mini buildings in an imitation town center where the post office structure stood. Other old time village building facades appeared further up the path and all along the way.

The entire woods twinkled around us. There are thousands of lights hung from branches in every direction as well as overhead. A lighted fox figure peaked out from behind a big tree trunk. There were other creatures we came upon deeper in the woods and stopped to admire them too.

The oversized blinking holiday ornaments and bells stretched across archways brightened our way and the glow of the season radiated as far as I could see.

The Creekside scenery looks even more like a Winter Wonderland under a real blanket of snow. But with or without the white stuff, Gahanna's holiday light display has a spell binding allure. The massive blanketing of the woods with little lighted bulbs turns these surroundings into a holiday postcard-like vision.

As I was walking at Creekside, I began imagining visions of gingerbread in the heads of little people who might live in the little houses out in these woods. I was tempted to take a quick look through some of the windows, to see if there were tiny people snuggled inside in teeny tiny beds.

The town of Gahanna also has one of the merriest holiday parades around Central Ohio. Last weekend's wowing of hometown crowds at the Holiday Lights! Parade was no exception. The final float made good on its promise to bring Old St. Nick to town for a quick visit, before he has to return to the toy making elves.

Other communities have great holiday parades, but, there is something special about what they do in Gahanna. They organize a premiere lighted holiday evening parade! 2012 was the second year the parade returned after a brief hiatus. It featured several enthusiastic bands and lots and lots of equestrian entries again this time.
I am amazed by the horses, both big and small. A few years ago I witnessed more miniature horses in this parade than I have ever seen anywhere else. These precious galloping mares and stallions give me every reason to go back to see Gahanna's parade every year!

The perennial favorite is the Oshkosh Striker Air Rescue Firefighting Truck from the Port Columbus International Airport. , all dressed in thousands of twinkling lights. The Striker's special feature turns up the holiday cheer, when it showers “snowflakes” as it passes the crowds along the parade route.

The end-of-year holidays for me would not be as festive without going out to see holiday lights...I love seeing all the small towns wrapped in lights and feel warm and fuzzy looking at familiar landscapes flickering in seasonal illumination.


It is customary in our household to plan a visit to the Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. We are also regulars at the Alum Creek State Park's Fantasy of Lights. I am already looking forward to this year's pilgrimage to both of these two special places, since I have not made it to either of them yet. Fortunately...there's still plenty of time before years' end!

I hope to see more Holiday lights this year, and, whether it’s sharing a special night cruising around with friends, or, chauffeuring my own family members I will make time during the hustle & bustle of the season to spend quality time enjoying this favorite holiday tradition.  Sure I love decorating holiday cookies and getting surprises from under the tree too. But, there is nothing that gets me in the right mood for the holidays like holiday lights sightseeing does.

The bigger the light show the better. I absorb the energy radiating from these good tidings & I cheer for the displays with the highest voltage ! It always seems to motivate me, to go back home and add a couple hundred more bulbs to my personal blinking beautifications.

I believe in being a contributing member of society. My professional contributions are presently varied; assisting clients with real estate buying and selling transactions, as well as, performing current property value appraisals for the Delaware County Sheriff. I teach & enjoy exercise and I am a professionally certified fitness instructor at the Westerville Rec Center; I also love to write and blog! My goal is to continue making productive use of my former journalism background and public service skill by remaining active in the community. Prior expertise in zoning & development was gained working in local government. I wish to remain active in the planning arena for the rest of my life! I am always expanding on the knowledge I offer & always ready to put any of my professional skills to work for a new good cause. If you need dependable assistance- call me. I am available to be put to work immediately, so, please, feel free to get in touch with me at your earliest convenience! For Real Estate Help or Otherwise...call me. I look forward to joining you and taking care of delegated project needs. Thanks.
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