I came home from work one night and the lights caught my eye right away.
Looking good in Eastwood
Good Neighbor Tim and his Wonderful Wife Lorraine had chosen to decorate a nice bush toward our side of their house for his holiday season. A multi-colored string of lights provided the festive touch.
I liked it.
Very much.
And so when I clocked out from my job at the big box the next time, thus inspired, I went to the holiday section and made a purchase of my own.
And on our side of the driveway …
Evergreen tree hosting multi-colored lights was my choice on our side. Not that I’m a copycat or anything.
I worked a morning shift that day, but left our Little Bitty in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood for my bowling night before my dear wife Karen returned home from work.
Side by side upon my return home from bowling.
She said she liked my winding work.
When I got home from bowling, I appreciated the total effect of our similar-but-different homes.
Mission accomplished. We have our Christmas tree for 2015.
Happy holidays.
Do you decorate outside your home for the holidays, and if so, where do you place the decorations? Do you prefer multi-colored or single-colored holiday lights? Do you prefer to go big or go simple with the holiday fare?
Mark Bialczak 
The lights on your two trees make your homes look very cheerful when you arrive home.
🙂
Last year was my first year not putting out my nativity scenes, and this is the first year in my life I won’t purchase a tree, which surprises me, for I love taking out the decorations–some made by the boys-now-men who no longer speak to me, but which I can now handle with fond memories more than tears.
I just feel like keeping everything very low-key this year. It still looks and feels like Christmas in my very tiny home, with a single fresh wreath and a vase of holly berries in the living room, and the dining room table topped by an advent wreath and a small Scandinavian tree decoration. Those are all I need.
LikeLike
Happy holidays, my dear friend. Enjoy them your way, handling it all. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m spending Christmas day with a friend who calls me her sister. We will watch movies and snuggle together under the gift she bought me (she couldn’t wait until the day to tell me what it is : ) and stuff our faces and drink champagne. I think I’ll manage.
😀
LikeLike
You will more than manage, Babe. You will twinkle. 🙂 Merry, my friend. Very.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You too, my friend. : )
LikeLike
Lovely! There is nothing like lighting up the darkness of winter with some festive lights or candles! Lighting up the outside of your home is quite an American thing, I think, but it is getting more and more popular over here. Some people go overboard, but yours is very tasteful. I dont have lights outside my house, but if I did, I’d do the same as you. Sometimes less is most definitely more!
LikeLike
I obviously am with you on this one, Ali. Tastefully done, the holiday lights say so much, my friend. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree with you there!
LikeLike
That is really a cute tree bro Mark. Mine is a bead and safety pin tree I gave my Mom about 25 years ago, and brought back when we cleared out her home in July and August. My decorations appear as I make them, then disappear as I gift them to others. Fun, fun, fun.
LikeLike
Making and giving is a great holiday spirit, sis Angie. I hope your recovery of the tree you gave to your mom a quarter-century ago brightens your spirits some in the next few weeks, my dear.
LikeLike
Nice tree, Mark!
LikeLike
Thank you, warm friend Vonita. A sizzling Christmas, I’m still grappling with that one. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
isn’t it funny how the festive spirit is contagious? i love it all, but am kind of a minimalist myself, the cottage is so tiny –
LikeLike
Minimalist is the way to go where we both live, Beth, contagious or not! ❤
LikeLike
Very nice, Mr. B! Who cares if you were “inspired” by (copied) your neighbor, it’s all good! 🙂
We vary depending on our stress level that year. If we are feeling festive and with plenty of time in our hands, we decorate the outside. Otherwise, we stick to decorating the inside only, minus a couple of door and garage wreaths. Of course, there is always some type of Chevy Chase incident in which the lights don’t work or the tree falls over. It wouldn’t be Christmas without an incident, right? Hee,hee.
Here’s to a safe, healthy & Feliz Navidad, mi amigo!
LikeLike
It’s all good, as long as you and Mr. B are hugging at the end of the decorating incident, Mrs. B. ❤ Feliz and Merry to you two from my dear wife Karen and I. ❤ 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very pretty! I love to watch those shows on TLC about the homes that go all out with outdoor Christmas lights. Some of them are just breathtaking!
LikeLike
Some people go all out, for sure, PJ.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, some of them are incredible. Thanks Mark!
LikeLike
There’s something so festive about multi-colored lights, but I’ve always liked the clear ones…so that’s what we use. Inside and out. I have a touch of South Carolina in my windows…a silk magnolia blossom on all the evergreen garlands. It’s a bit different. Nice of you to surprise Karen with your decorating, Mark. Well done.❤️
LikeLike
The South Carolina magnolia-on-evergreen garland sounds mighty impressive, Van. Your consistency with clear lighting is mighty stylish, too. Thanks, my friend. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh we love Christmas Lights Terp-We do the base of all Palm Trees they look stunning in only white lights. Wreaths I freshly make each year and they illuminate with white lights. Two indoor Christmas Trees (7′ ones) yes we love to decorate for the Holidays!!! Gatorette
LikeLike
Hey, Gatorette, I knew you’d do it up with a wonderful Floriday style. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yes we really deck the place! Happy Holidays, Cheryl aka The Gatorette
LikeLike
We don’t do lights outside, but I put them in the window so when my oldest comes home, they will welcome her. I like your little lit tree. Very sweet.
Once a year we drive through one of those elaborate neighborhoods where everyone is lit and act like little kids.
LikeLike
It’s good to act like little kids during the holiday season, Rose. I like the window treatment so the world can see your work, too!
LikeLike
When we first bought our house, I decorated outside a bit – just candy canes lining the walkway and a few lights on the downstairs windows. Then I got busier and lazier, and the kids grew up and left. Now, I maybe would think about decorating the outside because of the recent renovations, but with the wild neighborhood kids, I’d be afraid of vandalism so I just decorate inside for my own family who will be coming over for Christmas brunch.
Your little tree looks very festive, Mark.
LikeLike
Best to know the outside limitations, CM. I like your inside plans, my friend. And thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahh you and good neighbor Tim lighting up the hood – love it Mark! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
Our simple tastes go a long way, and I’m glad you agree, Diana. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice work,Mark.
LikeLike
I’m glad you like it, Ann.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No lights outside. No lights inside. We have not done any decorating of any kind. We did, however, buy a most beautiful tree. My oldest son went and picked it out and it is perfect. But it is naked. It does not have one decoration on it – yet!!! Everyone time I walk past the living room, I think a man is standing in our living room by the window but then I realize it is our undecorated tree. It’s freaking me out. Must put some lights on it this weekend.
LikeLike
Put a shine on that naked guy, SD! At least he has a perfect form in your living room, my friend. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Its still naked and may be that way for a while as my brand new dryer has stopped heating (1 month old). AARGH!!! Why do these things always happen on Friday nights?
LikeLike
Send it back to the store and demand a brand new one from the warranty! Time to stop messing around, retail folks. ❤ to you, SD.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s exactly what I am going to do right now!!!! Thanks Mark!!!!
LikeLike
I’m with you, my friend. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do not decorate outside. I kinda wish I married someone who wanted to climb on the ladder and hang twinkly lights — are there people who enjoy that? My dad always did it, but I don’t know if he liked it…
Anyway, I loooove twinkly lights! In fact, seeing your tiny evergreen makes me think two things: I should totally plant an evergreen and I should put twinkly lights on it! No ladder required! We have an enormous, gorgeous, perfectly shaped fur out back, but it’s like, three stories tall and this is not Rockefeller Center 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
*fir. lol
LikeLike
I think the Mister would much rather put a fir in the size of ours for future twinkly lights than attack your Rockefeller Center-worthy specimen out back, Joey! Hey, if the ground is still soft enough, I get one can be bought, transplanted and decorated this weekend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think I could manage. Not too sure about the ground…Will check though!
LikeLike
Of course you could. Grab the spade and clank that ground as a test, my friend.
LikeLike
Oh, Joey, get the Christmas you crave.
Cheat with your indoor windows and run twinkly light strings around the inside of the window frames, using painters tape or thumbtacks. Just use extension cords. Our house looked pretty fancy without clambering all over the outside, and we got to enjoy the lights more inside, as well.
With just a tiny bit more ambition, at any outdoor high point which is not too difficult to reach by step-stool or -ladder, set a large hook (the size of a quarter to half-dollar, say). This can stay up year-round without your house looking like you just don’t care anymore, like all those folks who leave their light strings up year-round. (Me? Judgemental much?)
Run an extension cord up to the hook. Plug a twinkly light string to this and run it up and down from hook to ground, spreading out in a fan shape, or, if you can manage it, a semi-circle, staking down the bottom ends with the cheapest of hook-topped tent pegs.
It will be a twinkly tree at night, and still look like a tree shape in the daytime. Heck, throw a red bow on it.
There.
(Have you seen JOEY’s house?! Ooooo!!)
😛
LikeLike
Love it, Babe. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like it! Have you watched that show about the Christmas lights? I think it’s on ABC on Tuesday nights. Anyways, they have all these huge light displays with music and strobes and one guy had flame throwers and water bombs. It’s fun to watch, but I’d be a hard judge on that show. I don’t like the crazy flashing lights and moving panels and loud music. I like it simpler. I like Little Bitty’s and her neighbors. 🙂
LikeLike
I caught some of that show this week, Rachel. I think I’d stop and stare at this lavish houses, sure. But I know I’d hate to be the neighbors dealing with the glare, the traffic and the noise. And the pilots trying to land the planes in nearby airports dealing with the strobes and lasers … Thanks for your kind words about the Little Bitty and Good Neighbor Tim’s simple displays.
LikeLike
I like you and David setting up your display in the back, MBC. That’s a nice new take on the subject, for you, the neighbors and the kids when they come over. Happy holidays are upon us. ❤
LikeLike
We do. But actually, the majority will be behind the house. Just for us. And our neighbors. And the kids when they come over. 🙂 I like the multicolored AND the white lights. They all look wonderful!
LikeLike