So it’s practically Christmas! The hustle and bustle of the season has been proceeding before us, and if you are like me, or if most of us are in the same circumstances, we have not been able to enjoy a lot of it.
For many older adults, the holidays take on a different look and feel. We are not as agile and spry as we used to be. We may have new physical challenges, or have suffered from illnesses with the coming of the colder temperatures. We may find ourselves becoming caregivers again, helping our grandkids, or our siblings, or our friends and neighbors.
While we want to make holidays easier on ourselves as we age, some of us struggle to create the perfect holiday season for loved ones, while denying ourselves the pleasures we try to give others.
Holidays can be stressful. They are wonderful, but very challenging.
Have life’s circumstances been holding you back from holiday celebrations? I will always urge you to discover the activities at your local senior center. But with the timing of this column’s publication, most of the holiday parties have most likely already occurred. Consider this then a call for a New Year’s resolution. More to come on that in the New Year!
Meanwhile, there is a simple little way to reencounter one of the joys of our childhood and make this holiday season especially reminiscent. Just put on your coat, gas up your vehicle, and venture out to view some holiday lights.
One of my favorite winter memories as a child was being in the car with Dad and Mom, driving past the lighted homes during the holidays. I really believe it is in our human nature to bring light to December because it is the darkest month of the year. Whatever your leaning may be, seeing brightly colored lights helps to warm our hearts and our minds, and there is so much to see.
Holiday light displays have taken on amazing proportions since our childhood. With brighter bulbs and added sound and movement, these displays are feasts for our eyes. They urge us to pause and take it all in. Why not discover or rediscover some of the beautiful displays in our region?
The best part is that we can enjoy dazzling light displays from the comfort of a warm car. Lehnertz Avenue Christmas Display at Sheridan and Lehnertz Avenue in Aurora is well worth discovering or revisiting. The display is open through January 3, 2025 and has been offering the spirit of Christmas since 1952.
The 18th Annual Aurora Festival of Lights runs each night from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Phillips Park, 1000 Ray Moses Drive. Then it’s a short drive to the Mooseheart Festival of Lights Display.
For those living in the far west area of the Fox Valley, just a quiet drive down Dugan Road past the lights at Rich Harvest Farm Golf Course is enough to cheer anyone’s heart after a day of visiting or shopping.
If you live near or want to venture through Oswego, you can enjoy a 90-minute light show and coordinated holiday music at 701 N Sparkle Court. It is fun to see how many other families take up the challenge to create amazing displays, such as the Green Family Light Show at 1232 Mitchell Drive in Plano Illinois. Or in Yorkville, where the Arch’s Christmas Light Show at 2389 Iroquois Lane offers lights and music too.
And for those up for a longer drive, one of the most amazing collaborations of businesses, community organizations and families can be found at the Celebration of Lights at Rotary Park, 2837 E Fifth Road, LaSalle. Almost an hour drive of beautiful light displays awaits you there for just a donation.
It is really amazing! On cold winter nights we humans are drawn to the warmth of light, and it is almost impossible to resist pausing to gaze. Why not grab a cup of hot cocoa and your car keys, grab a friend or neighbor too, and make your way out to enjoy these free, or donation-based, attractions before they fade away.
Barb Nadeau is a freelance writer, whose career has included more than 10 years as a public relations professional, 22 years as a professional television and radio host, print journalist, and volunteer coordination professional, networking among non-profit social service agencies and service providers throughout the State of Illinois. She is a two-term elected alderman in the City of Plano. Contact Barb at bvnadeau@gmail.com.