Tag: Christmas lights

Posted in Christmas

My 2025 gallery of Christmas yard art

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Here’s this year’s collection of Christmas yard decorations in my neighborhood.

Nativity

From inflatables to cut-outs to full figurines, the Lord was well represented this year.

Snowmen

I love seeing snowmen in Florida. Ironically, they wear hats, scarves, and gloves, as if snowmen could get cold.

Santa

I believe Santa’s popularity has waned in recent years. He’s still a mainstay, but has to share lawn space with a lot of other characters.

The Grinch

Candy Canes

I walked by many “candy cane farms” this year. For a season they replace driveway and landscape lights.

Lights

Of course there are plenty of lights. New designs include dripping icicles, programmable strings of LEDs, and red and green floodlights.

Miscellaneous

A Christmas unicorn?
When pigs fly…
Florida!
Getting a jump on Easter
Minimalist Christmas

Anything with a Santa hat is now part of the Christmas landscape. From turtles to flamingoes, pigs to dinosaurs, all are welcome to join the cast. As long as you have a storage unit for the other ten months of the year.

Posted in Christmas, Travel

Holiday at the Arboretum

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Last Friday night, we went to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens with our Texas family. It was chilly, but we really enjoyed the seasonal “Holiday at the Arboretum.”

From what I could see, every tree in the arboretum was wrapped in lights. A Christmas village featured little shops for kids to visit and get treats. The twelve days of Christmas were displayed in gazebos along the garden walkway. Lights on the giant Christmas tree flashed colors and shapes in time with music.

I can’t even imagine what it takes to prepare the gardens for this event. I do remember people hanging lights and setting up gazebos when we were there for the pumpkin displays in October.

The youngest Texas grandchild belts out, “Five golden rings…” about once an hour. All the kids were excited to see the larger-than-life gifts from the song.

My wise son and his wife brought along thermoses of hot chocolate and tea. The Arboretum had vendors charging $8 for a small cup of tea or cider. Yikes! But the weather was cold so the line was long.

It was a great family outing and a great way to continue our Christmas celebration.