Old School

You don't see too many of these C-9 lights anywhere these days, the LEDs and minis and blow-up lawn ornaments have taken center stage during the holiday season for many years.

Christmas is about remembering and I remember the awe I felt when I saw the big glowing globes outlining every house in my neighborhood. Back in 1960, the paint used to coat the glass was different; the bulbs were richer and the colors were deeper than the ones that are manufactured now. As I'm writing this, the memory of a soft pink bulb just popped up. They were so rare that they immediately became my favorite and I would badger my dad to make sure there were a few on the string.

The young 'uns call folks my age "old school." That's OK. I live down the street from an elementary school and I thought I'd give the 2011 kids something to wonder about. Now I'm wondering if I can find those soft pink bulbs anywhere.