Kids Love 'em!

Photo credit: Sarah Spillane

As far back as I can remember, starting with Grandma Monroe, it was a family tradition to use white lights when decking the halls. Gasps from my Grandmother could be heard for miles when the discussion of whether to use colored lights vs. white lights came up in conversation. So, needless to say, the tradition of white lights still prevails in my family. And if you have kids, it can be a tricky balance when it comes to finding ways to display some of the more "kid-friendly" decorations around the home. Because, let's face it--kids love them!

Photo credit: Elizabeth Gujral

Photo credit: Elizabeth Gujral

So in the spirit of having a little holiday fun, I bought a lovely set of Solar Powered Meerkats as one of my Yankee Swap gifts last year. As you can well imagine, they were a big hit with the kids, but my sister Beth, who ended up with them, was less than pleased. After some coaxing, I got her to set them up, and here they are catching a few rays after yesterday's snowstorm. Really cute, right? I don't think that they violate any laws in Wenham, do you?

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My sister Sarah thinks it's rather funny to tell the rest of us how "cool" she is about putting "kid friendly" decorations up around her house. I can only believe half of what she says, because when I was at her house a week ago, her blow-up monstrosity was set-up in her backyard. Yes, folks, the backyard! The "Backyard Offer" goes way back with my kids, but I could never get them to agree to it. If they couldn't have the "kid friendly" decorations out front and center where they could be seen by passersby, then they weren't having any of it. I will probably go down in the history books as the worst mother evah, as they saw in Boston.

Photo credit: Sarah Spillane

And to add salt to the wound, a few years ago, Sister Sarah added moving reindeer to her outdoor vignette. Thanks Sarah! My daughter wanted to know why we had the plain grapevine version when Auntie Sarah had the good ones. I think they ran out at Home Depot that year, right?


Whatever your holiday traditions are for decking your halls, the only thing that really matters is that you have them. And if you scar your kids along the way by not allowing "kid friendly" decorations around your home, then let them work it out in therapy.