BRIGHT IDEA: SPIRITED STREET LAMPS
Where: Wolcott, ConnecticutHow It Happens: More than a decade ago, Kim Wachtelhausen's neighborhood was part of a new development, and most of the residents didn't know one another. So a handful of neighbors decided to break the ice: they planned a gathering to sing carols and hang bows and garlands on some of the old-fashioned lampposts that line the streets. Since then, the tradition has grown. Last year, says Kim, close to 40 people took part. After sharing food around a blazing backyard bonfire, they set off to decorate the streetlights. A few of the neighborhood's more intrepid souls take turns scaling a 24-foot extension ladder to wrap the lampposts with garlands and festoon them with ornaments. The decorations are donated by residents and vary from one lamppost to the next; the only rule is that they be appropriately festive.
Truly Magical Moment: When the lampposts are given their final touches, the crowd breaks into song. For Kim and her neighbors, the posts, while beautiful, are secondary to what they represent: "We wanted to create a family tradition that went beyond individual families," she says. "When we gather to decorate the lampposts, it's really all about coming together."
