A Christmas Tradition

Growing up in Kansas City, a yearly tradition was the Christmas lights on the Country Club Plaza. We'd drive around the Plaza in awe of the lights -- often once or twice a week and when we visited Grandmother, the Plaza was between her house and ours, and it would be another opportunity to see the lights.

The lights on the Plaza are special -- perhaps because every building is outlined in lights or perhaps it's because of the Spanish architecture and towers that make this lighting display so spectacular.

What started in the 20's as a shopkeeper with a strand of lights over his store has turned into a beloved Christmas tradition in Kansas City as miles and miles and miles of lights are strung along the rooftops and towers of this shopping area.

After my father died when I was just turning 13, money was tight -- very tight. But mother tried to make things special for us and since my birthday was in December, my treat would be dinner out on the Plaza, a trip to Topsy's, and seeing those fantastic Christmas lights.

Dinner was at a drive in for she didn't have money for a fancy restaurant but it's windows overlooked the Plaza and she always managed to score a window seat so that we could see the lights as we "dined".

After we moved south, each December we would try to make a point to drive to the Plaza at least once to see the lights. It was, after all, a Christmas tradition.

Sunday was my birthday and husband Jim treated me to a day in Kansas City -- we ended up at dusk on the Plaza, at McCormick and Schmick's whose bar has huge windows overlooking the Plaza. He, too, scored a window seat! It was wonderful and in honor of those teenage birthdays at the drive in, I ordered a hamburger!!!! (Of course, this year it came with a martini -- and a dessert called a chocolate bag!)

We drove around the Plaza after and then drove to the top of one of the parking garages and got out and looked at the lights. The first picture was similar to our view which is amazing!

Last year, daughter Sarah gifted me with a superb present.
A light bulb from the Plaza lights -- it had been on one of the buildings until it burned out -- then they made it into an ornament.
Which came attached with this tag.

What a special ornament for the tree at Linderhof. Memories abound in that light bulb and it has a special place on the tree.

The pictures of the Plaza were not taken by me, alas, because I forgot to take my camera Sunday -- so I "borrowed" them!!!

It's also Wednesday which means that it's Outdoor Wednesday, so please join Susan at A Southern Daydreamer to see what everyone is doing outdoors!