It's xmas again in Cranbrook, (everywhere else I might add) and I can sure feel it in the mall. My favorite xmas lites are lit again and I just have to share them with you all.

There is a home here (a B&B I think) called Candelight Crossing that literally has 40,000 or more assorted led lights decorating it. It is truly tastefully, spectacularly done. They even have their little garden tables and chairs (wrought iron style) wrapped in lights and sitting in the snow garden. It is truly lovely and inspirational.

Viewing xmas lites has always been one of my favorite things. When our kids where young we would make at least one trip around our town with them, just viewing all the lovely displays. I still do it with my husband Leonard. One of our few xmas traditions to stay with us.



A second and equally but newer tradition is xmas eve with our friend's Barry & Greta and their family. Every xmas eve we get together, usually at theirs or their mom's house and enjoy treats, rum & egg nog and other assorted beverages. We also play a little game where everyone has to bring a number of wrapped gifts of (questionable?)unusual and reused or new items.

Inexpensive and purchased from dollar stores or silly things that we have saved from garage sales or previous xmas exchanges. We place one shuffled deck of cards in a pile in the center of our coffee table and then a second shuffled deck is then dealt out to everyone there. As a card is turned up the person who has a match gets to pick a gift from the pile. They also have the option of one that someone already has chosen and they then can take it from that said person. It goes around and around with much fun to be had by all. When all cards are turned up everyone opens the gifts that they have managed to hang on to LOL!! The rivalry is pretty funny and let's just say that some of our little goodies turn out to be pretty humourous. Rain hats, little old men ornaments with cactus growing out of their pants. Soaps shaped like little piggies, tins of oysters and the like. I usually wrap a lotto scratch in with my goodies just to make it a little interesting. I must say we all look forward to this silly game and fun is had by all.