National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is favourite film not only of our immediate family but of our extended family too. Last year one of my seven year old grandsons decided he had to have his own copy of the film, and after a Christmas day out with four of our grandchildren last week they demanded to watch the film yet again, despite me dangling the enticement of one of the over 30 different versions of A Christmas Carols in my collection [new this year is The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol which did not budge their interest one iota!]
Anyone who ever watched NLCV will know that is about the attempt to have a perfect family Christmas with all the family traditions, beginning with the best decorated house ever [above] To be honest, Elizannie would really like to have the same sort of lighting effect on this house but [a] Our house is no where near the size of the one above and [b] Other Half has far better taste!
So anyway, last weekend was the time to get the Christmas outside lights from storage and decide on our 'lighting scheme'. Last year we had had to dispense with some of our lights that had 'given up', so it was in a timely arrival on Sunday morning, Royal Mail delivered our new set of outside lights. However Other Half was most disappointed and the lights were duly rewrapped and put to one side to be posted back asap. The whisper was out that Sainsburys had the best lights in town so off we went, and it was probably a true whisper as they were completely sold out. So onto Tesco, who did have some very nice lights and a box was purchased. This did follow some intense discussion with a very nice man and his father which involved the man and me 'stepping out' the area that would be covered by the measurements on the box to show his father whilst Other Half slunk off in embarassment.
By the time we arrived home it was getting dark, but it was with a great sense of surprise that we found, when we opened the box from storage, that we had bought extra lights in the after Christmas sales last year. In fact remarkably similar to the ones just purchased from Tesco. My suggestion that we could just have a bigger display was not taken up.... the lights were put to one side to return the next day, along with the parcel to be returned via the post.
By now it was dark but Other Half had the bit between his teeth and was determined to put all the lights out forwith and produced the 'old' lights that still worked. And were of course in a terrible tangle despite having been put away very neatly last year. So picture me sitting nicely on the lounge floor, with lights stretching all the way along the floor and up the hall to the front door in the untangling process whilst Other Half climbed step ladders and cursed, attaching them outside.
Well the result was that it all looks very Christmassy and tasteful and worth the effort! Our little road is quite jolly with the effort the neighbours have taken with their lights so Merry Christmas and God Bless Us Everyone, to quote Tiny Tim and A Christmas Carol!
For Michael Mills, Andy Mills, Lizi Cole, Pauline Mifsud, Stephen Howlett & Lyn Price
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