I should have listened to that little voice in my head. I am always sorry when I ignore it.
A few weekends ago, I was determined to get our outside holiday decorating done, while the weather was still mild. Unfortunately, while they were stored away over the past year, many of our light strands had mysteriously ceased to work. But the time I sorted out what we needed to replace, daylight was vanishing and it was too late to get started outside.
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| This photo shows some of the outside lights we put up last year |
Near the end of this past week, we were treated to a real warming trend, and all of our snow melted. I knew Friday morning that it was the perfect day to work outside. But I was still feeling lazy from our Thanksgiving meal and I had other things to do. I rationalized that I would put the lights up on Saturday, when my family could help me.
Friday evening, we went to a friend's house for dinner. We discussed the weather forecast; we had all noticed a winter storm was expected to begin about noon the next day. Our friends didn't have their lights up yet either - we all agreed it would be a good plan to get up early and get our outdoor decorating done.
Upon returning to our house that evening, it was 48 degrees F outside. We woke up to a chilly house - it always takes the furnace a bit to catch up. The world outside our windows was white, it was still snowing steadily, and the thermometer said minus 6 degrees F. (A drop of 64 degrees since the previous afternoon.) Not exactly ideal conditions for hanging lights.
I should have listened to that little voice!
We might get another warm spell - or we will eventually have to brave the elements if the lights are to go up. Either way, I am glad that a few years ago I learned an easy trick for hanging string lights in hard-to-reach high places. I once wrote an article explaining the technique. If you are like us and still have decorating to do, you may find it helpful. I will publish it here on my blog later this week.
Do you put up holiday outside lights - and have you done so yet this year?
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We always put some up but they're very simple so we can do them quickly. Our kids would love for us to put more up though! The picture of your decorated house is very pretty!
ReplyDeleteThanks Marie - I just left a comment on your blog. I have been missing your posts and I hope you will be back at it after the holidays :)
DeleteWe don't have a tradition of putting up lights outside. Perhaps we will someday--it just hasn't been a priority yet. We do, however, decorate indoors!
ReplyDeleteI'm putting up these decorations a bit at a time (I do a little each time my precious 8 week old baby is napping).
It is so dark here in the middle of winter, that putting up some lights just helps us to get through until the days begin to lengthen! Thanks for commenting Shannon - and enjoy that little baby! I blinked, and mine are both taller than me!
DeleteWe don't do lights, but looking at your photo, I'm kind of inspired to consider it more seriously!
ReplyDeleteThanks Carol - I loathe the task of putting them up (and dismantling them) - but the cheer they add to our dark nights is really worth it!
DeleteWe do put up holiday lights, but we haven't done them yet. Wishing we'd worked on that project yesterday when it was in the 60's!
ReplyDeleteGood luck - I hope we both get some good weather still to get them up!
DeleteWe don't do lights here. Just one set in the windows. I do love other people's though. On Christmas Eve we will go for a drive - and revel in them.
ReplyDeleteOne set in the windows can add a lot on a dark night! I enjoy looking at them also.
DeleteWe don't put lights up anymore.....
ReplyDeleteSo I hope you have some neighboring ones that you can enjoy!
DeleteI do put up some very rudimentary lights, just to let folks know that we're not total scrooges over here. I don't like the hassle with an already busy season. Unfortunately I deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder and this is when my energy is at its lowest. Your lights look lovely!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you suffer from SAD. Do you have a light that you use for it? This must be a tough time of year - the short days are hard!
DeleteOh man can I relate. The exact same thing happened to me this year. Back in early November I sat in my living room watching my neighbour put up his lights. I texted to my daughter that I thought it was perhaps a bit early and she fired back that she agreed. Silly us. A rare cold spell hit. We got snow. Really unusual for us in November. I finally found myself putting them up yesterday. My hands froze and I had to be careful I didn't snap the icy branches. I suspect my neighbour was grinning at me from the comfort of his La-Z-Boy ...
ReplyDeleteBeing 5 foot 2 I am eagerly awaiting your tip for reaching those high branches, I must say!
Kelly - I am also 5 foot 2 (barely!) You would love this tool!!
DeleteWe don't usually put up any Christmas lights but are thinking about hanging a few. When I was reading your post I was laughing because it was 48 degrees here and we were thinking how cold it was! What a huge difference living in different climates makes!
ReplyDeleteIt certainly does ... after a few days of temperatures below zero here, when the mercury starts to climb, anything above zero starts to feel quite deceptively warm !
ReplyDeleteHope you got your lights up! We took advantage of a warm Sunday a few weeks ago - but my hubby wouldn't let us turn them on because it wasn't Christmas yet!
ReplyDeleteI am so envious of you - no, the lights are not up yet. It has started to warm up and melt, so I am hoping I get a chance this weekend. I just really prefer not to have to decorate snow-covered trees!
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