As a kid, it was one of those times I actually wanted to help.

When I was growing up, my Mamaw Jo always put her Christmas tree up the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It was artificial, so she could do that. Of course, that excited me since I enjoyed decorating it.

And I loved looking at it. No kidding. I would lay across the chair next to Mamaw’s tree with my legs dangling off the side and my head resting against the other side. I don’t know how long I stayed there as I eyed the Christmas tree. Nobody said anything to me. Looking back, I guess they were happy for the peace and quiet.

While decorating the tree one year, Mamaw Jo began to talk about Christmas when she was a girl in Hogskin. I don’t know what prompted her to do that, but I learned a little something about her.

She said they didn’t have electricity when she was small. At Christmas, they would go over to Uncle “Doc” Janeway’s house. According to Mamaw, he had built his own generator and placed it into the creek. Having electricity, he had lights on his Christmas tree. She had never seen such a sight as his Christmas tree and it amazed her.

Then I understood why she wanted to put her tree up so early every year. And to be honest, I had never really thought about them not having electricity at that time. Then it made me realize just how much I take for granted; even Christmas trees and their beautiful lights.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17 (KJV)

I was also amazed by the fact that Uncle Doc built his own generator. I can’t even build a simple structure out of LEGOs with easy to read instructions. On a positive note, I can place a plug into a socket.

As for our tree at home, my parents used to buy a real one. My mom waited until two weeks before Christmas. To her it was a safety precaution since real trees can dry out and be a fire hazard.

Our lights were very different from Mamaw Jo’s. We draped blinking, colorful lights across our tree. Mamaw’s were steady since blinking lights got on her nerves. Not me. They fascinated me.

After we finished decorating our Christmas tree, I would turn out the lights so I could appreciate the blinking light show in all its glory. Then I began to realize something. The blinking lights had a pattern. I noticed it year after year. There would always come a point to where the whole tree would become dark at once. Then a second or two later, the whole tree exploded into brilliant light.

To me, that symbolized joyous hope in God’s promises to us.

“For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:5 (KJV)

I hope you now see Christmas decorations in a whole new light.