With the first day of December tomorrow, the holiday season is truly upon us. Just hearing that countdown “25 shopping days left” incites a sense of internal panic in me. “Thirty-eight percent of the nation hasn’t bought their first gift yet” is what I heard on the news last night. Well, count me in that thirty-eight percent. What about decorations, do you decorate? Inside, outside, or none of the above?

One of my favorite outside decorations are the luminaries. I have to admit I had not seen this style of decoration before moving to New Mexico. There is something about the time-honored tradition that luminaries represent that makes them so enduring.

As history has it, the first luminaries in North America were bonfires of crisscrossed piñon boughs arranged in three foot high squares. Later, luminaries were small paper lanterns, which were made when colored paper was brought to this continent from the Orient.

The Pueblo Indians in New Mexico have long lit small fires outside their homes to light their way to church on Christmas Eve. They learned the custom from Spanish settlers who introduced farolitos, or little lanterns, in the sixteenth century. The Spanish settlers burned small bonfires along the roads and in the churchyards to commemorate Christ's birth.

My husband was right on schedule at our house last Saturday night hanging our twinklers, as he calls them. These particular Christmas lights are the old fashioned kind; big colorful bulbs which blink independently of each other. You can’t get them retail anymore. Oh no, these special babies are only available on the internet. New age technology for old fashioned décor. I absolutely love the look; colorful, festive and understated.

This year we have something new, thanks to my mother-in-law. She sent us a big blow-up decoration for the front lawn. The box says it is eight feet high, but I would have to disagree. This monstrosity bounces around with even the slightest breeze that happens to blow, swaying back and forth in the wind like a tethered hot air balloon. It has a revolving carousel inside complete with penguin, snowman and Santa riding the rotating reindeer. The only thing missing is the quirky music and candy spewing from the lead snowman’s flailing mitten. But it is a gift and in the front yard it will stay, at least for this year.

With all of us beginning to decorate our homes for the holidays, I can’t help but think of those Holiday Home Tours that take place this time of year in cities across our country to benefit different non-profit organizations. As far as I know, Rio Rancho doesn’t have an organized fundraiser like this. Tickets are sold for a small fee and for one afternoon patrons tour private homes designated on the tour. The gracious homeowners deck their halls for the holidays in their own style and charm. The beauty of the homes is not only on the exterior as one might first think, but also within the character of the interior. Sometimes the tours hire decorators to enhance the magnificent residences and really put on a show for all to see.

I have seen some very interesting homes around town that I would absolutely love to see inside. I wouldn’t be surprised there are more than a few homeowners in Rio Rancho who would be gracious enough to open their doors and show off their dwellings for a charitable cause. And what charity wouldn’t want to benefit from a fundraiser like this? It just takes a little organization. Are there any takers out there? Maybe next year we will be reading about the Rio Rancho Holiday Home Tour.

Quote of the Week: “Is your house on fire, Clark? No, Aunt Bethany, those are the Christmas lights”. – Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.