In a very small town, one Christmas, I entered the house decorating contest for Christmas. I really hoped to win and worked hard just for the love of what I was doing.
I designed, cut, and sewed and painted six elves. I think it was six elves. The swing set had to be in the front yard because the back yard was rough. Also, I could not see the back yard from the kitchen and den so I could keep an eye on the children. This was a parsonage, so it was not my decision as to house, yard, or windows.
The swing set was new enough I did not want to paint it. So, foil covered the whole frame. I think I put tinsel ropes on the swing ropes.
I wired an elf on each of the swings. Then, I wired the swings so that it looked like they were in motion. One elf was toward the back of the swinging. Then, I wired an elf onto the slide.
My doll bed was put into the front yard and an elf was sleeping on it. I may have put an elf on my son's tricycle.
There was one spotlight, maybe more, trained onto the scene. Really, I cannot imagine being able to afford over one spotlight.
We looked at other house's lights and it looked like I had a good chance. Finally, the winner was announced. I did not win. A man who had a single item won. He had money and was "someone" and had a Santa climbing into a window from a balcony.
Yes, I was disappointed. But, that was nothing compared to the ire of people in town who made sure the judges and anyone who would listen heard how patently unfair the decision was. I was shocked at the passion all about, the phone calls I received, and the in-person comments and condolences I received.
Life is not fair, yet I knew I did have the winning display. Lest you think of this as sour grapes, members of the community told me why he won! I was confused.
This was in 1971 or 1972. Big light displays were not heard of, and especially not in this tiny town. Before the contest, I received much positive feedback.
So, that is how I almost won first place. Pooh, and there was no second place. So, that means I lost. Somewhere, I do have a picture.
Have you ever decorated big outdoors? Won a decorating contest at Christmas? Do you decorate outdoors at all?
We used to have a big spruce tree in our front yard and for several years in a row we decorated it with the old fashioned style lights. It took lots of lights. We also put lights on the house, but the tree looked magnificent with all of the lights on it. Then one year some neighborhood teen sh**s stole the bottom strand or two of the old fashioned lights. We knew which teen brats they were, but they claimed they didn't do it. We couldn't get any more matching lights to match what we had so we still did the house in lights for a couple more years but the sh**s pretty much took the fun out of it all. Then for a few years we did lights around the porch, but when our kids grew up, we just kind of got away from outdoor Christmas lights.
ReplyDeleteI do love driving around seeing at night seeing what people have done with their decorations in their yards.
susie,
DeleteIt all sounds very festive! It is too bad that sh**s steal things and all the fun. That is too bad. I enjoy that, too, but this year we have only seen a few lights. Thanks.
I do not decorate outside other than the front door.
ReplyDeleteAnne,
DeleteSame here except for that year and my reindeer in former house.
I would have loved to see your display! It sounds so sweet!
ReplyDeleteunknown,
DeleteIt was sweet, just enough. I have a picture, a photo somewhere that I will post some year.
I enjoyed your very good description of your elves and the swing set! To answer your questions at the end, no, no, and no. But we always enjoyed driving around to see the beautiful displays at other people’s homes.
ReplyDeleteIt’s Christmas Eve today and it’s going to rain all day here today, and then get very cold with some slight chance of snow and very probably the dreaded black ice for Christmas. No family get-together until Saturday, and it will be only part of the family as one son’s familly is in quarantine and the other is taking great precautions. Our Alabama gang (our daughter’s family plus two significant others will arrive midday Saturday. Christmas Day will be quiet, just the two of us.. We decided not to attend a candlelight service this year.
I say “Bah, humbug!” to the Covid. I wish it were humbug but it is very real.
Best of all, though, Jesus is Lord.
rhymes,
Deletedriving around is fun.
I put out enough lights to feel festive, but no display. I could do more as we have light up reindeer, icicle lights, and net lights, but just don’t enjoy the process as much.
ReplyDeleteSAM,
DeleteI would still enjoy it if I could do it! I guess we change in what feels festive.
I think things are rigged a lot. Some of my FB friends and I worked hard advertising and trying to get votes for a friends contest. In the end he had enough votes to win but they announced another person to win because he was 'higher up' in some talent or something. But our friend won fairly as he had more votes and it was not a talent contest (or whatever he had..its been a few years.
ReplyDeleteAnn. That stinks. Yes, I know of contests where rules were added at last minute to give advantage to someone more favored. It spoils it for all. I just thought that my homemade decorations were less favored than the lush store-bought half of a Santa.
Delete