A Texas Christmas

I spent December 23-24-25 in Colleyville with my daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren. Our Texas family enjoyed a grand Christmas, including great food, gifts and more gifts, a wonderful church service and a surprise visit by Santa Claus to the three littlest grandchildren on Christmas Eve night.

With daughter, Lynn Martinez, at the Glenbrook neighborhood in Bedford, Texas

 

 

          Early on Christmas Eve Evening, ten of us piled into a couple of vehicles and made a short drive to the Glenbrook neighborhood of Bedford. Twenty-five years ago, the Glenbrook Home Owners’ Association Christmas Committee decided to create a spectacular, Texas-themed decoration throughout their neighborhood. Their theme was based on a children’s book  by Leon Harris, published in 1952 and entitled The Night Before Christmas – In Texas, That Is. Santa, wearing jeans and a ten-gallon red Stetson, is riding in his buckboard toward the cabin of Buddy and Sue:

 

As he stepped from the buckboard

He was really a sight,

with his beard and moustaches

So curly and white. 

As he burst in the cabin

The children awoke,

And both so astonished

That neither one spoke.

And he filled up their boots

With such presents galore 

[And so on….]

 

          Some houses in the Glenbrook neighborhood set up story boards with excerpts from the book and pictures of Texas Santas. All yards are lined with bright red lights, and decorations include armadillos and cactus and cowboy boots, along with more traditional Christmas yard art.

 

 

          As we drove into Glenbrook Christmas 2016, we were delighted by imaginative decorations, beginning with a Texas Santa in his buckboard flying through the air courtesy of his eight armadillos. The most spectacular yard was a wonderland at the top of a cul-de-sac. Like everyone else, we parked and walked through the magical displays. And when we finally drove away, I knew I had the subject for a truly Texas Christmas blog.

Merry Christmas, y’all!

 

Grandchildren Nolan and Addison Gormley, enjoying the Glenbrook Christmas display