My dad has always gone big for holiday decorations. From eight-foot-tall leprechaun blow-ups to giant fuzzy spiders, there has never been a lack of holiday spirit in my house. All these special memories hold a space in my heart, but there’s one decoration that stands out above the rest.
It was Thanksgiving week, circa 2015. I was ten years old and anxiously waiting for my cousins to fly in from New Jersey. I hadn’t seen them in a full year, and all I could think about was the endless games of Ghost in the Graveyard we’d play. Between helping my mom clean and planning the best hiding spots, my dad asked for my help. When my dad ,like many dads,asked for help, you never knew if it would take two minutes or two hours. This time, it was one of those two-hour projects.
My dad called my little brother and me outside to help him untangle Christmas lights for his “special display.” My brother and I couldn’t have cared less about the special display. All we heard was “stand outside and do work.” Like any ten- and nine-year-olds, we complained the whole time, but we got the job done. After what was probably only twenty minutes but felt like hours to two impatient kids the lights were finally untangled. Dad sent us back inside so he could work on his secret project.
The week inched by as I waited for both my cousins and the mysterious decoration to appear. Finally, Wednesday arrived. Cousins and the special decoration, what more could a ten-year-old want? As their car pulled up, my dad called us outside. I burst through the door, barefoot in the snow, sprinting to hug my cousins. Amid all the chaos of hugs and “hellos,” my dad told us to look at the roof.
Before I could even ask why, the roof lit up with glowing green lights in the shape of a Christmas tree. My smile stretched from ear to ear. A Christmas tree made out of lights on our roof!
The rest of the day was spent bragging to my cousins about how cool my dad was and how I was going to beat them all at Ghost in the Graveyard. While that second part didn’t happen, the first was absolutely true. My dad always knew how to make holidays special especially through decorations. From green bulbs for St. Patrick’s Day to red heart wreaths for Valentine’s Day, and of course, the glowing Christmas tree on our roof, my dad has always known how to make each holiday shine. After that year, it was official: Christmas decorations are my favorite. This year when you're breaking out the boxes from the attic remember how much of an impact simple decorations can make on your holiday season.
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