UPDATE: Yesterday the "Today" show ran a segment in my hometown of Greensboro, NC and specifically the Sunset Hills community where they have been hanging Christmas Balls been hanging from trees for years. If you would like to view clip from the show click here.
Here is the news article from the Greensboro's Magazine that accompanied the clip.
From now and until Christmas Eve I will be participating in the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories, 2015 Edition by Thomas MacEntee and the Geneabloggers. If you would like to join you or want to know more about it please see this link.
Today's Christmas memory is about Christmas lights.
Growing up in Florida and North Carolina one of my family's traditions was to get in the car and ride through different neighborhoods and look at the displays of Christmas lights. It was a wonderful way to spend time together as a family and see the different ways of how people displayed their Christmas lights. I continued the tradition with my boys, however, times have changed since I was a young girl and my children were small, now that the price of electricity and gas are higher than ever, some of our older traditions are now being replaced with new traditions.
One of my favorite things to do now when we go home for Christmas, is to drive through my old neighborhood to look at the Lighted Christmas balls. In my neighborhood of Sunset Hills in Greensboro, North Carolina Christmas lights are being displayed in new way! In 2006, a man by the name of Jonathan Smith and his family started making these big lighted balls and soon all of his neighbors were wanting to know how to make them. To hear and see Jonathan's explanation of how he and his family started this new tradition, see "Lighted Christmas Balls in Greensboro, North Carolina" click here.
These big, lighted balls are made of chicken wire and Christmas lights. They are symbol of hope for many people. I found the directions for these wonderful lighted balls at The Chicken Chick Blog, click here. There is also an instructional video at the Lighted Christmas Balls blog, on how to make the Lighted Christmas Balls, click here. Or you can go to the Lighted Christmas Balls blog to learn more please click here. When a whole neighborhood gathers together and unites to start a new tradition it is magical sight to see. During the Christmas season they collect canned goods to donate them to two different food banks.
I am hoping that Easton will love the tradition of riding in the car and looking at Christmas lights when the time is right.
Sources:
Jonathan Smith Weblog: Lighted Christmas Balls,(http://lightedchristmasballs.blogspot.com/ : 30 November 2015).
Coon, Andy, "How to Make Lighted Christmas Balls" video, You-Tube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVptxkVU2t8 : 30 November 2015).
Coon, Andy, "Lighted Christmas Balls in Greensboro, North Carolina" video, You-Tube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hkf2DmF_-3w : 30 November 2015).
Kathy Shea Mormino, "Chicken Wire, Lighted Christmas Balls. 'Tis the Season!", The Chicken Chic, 2011(http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/12/chicken-wire-lighted-christmas-balls.html : 30 November 2015).
Editor's Note: I am reusing photos from last year's ACCM and portions of the original post.
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