A couple of years ago, around this time of the year, the Old Boy and I took our friends from down the street, to a little town in the Adelaide Hills. Every year 90% of the houses and businesses in this town decorate their premises with Christmas lights. The whole valley is aglow. Although in recent years it’s become swamped with tourist coaches it has still managed to maintain its country town charm. The Lutheran church puts on a nativity scene with live animals. There are coffee, donuts, ice cream, hot chips and hot dog vendors; market stalls selling craft work and cherries grown in the area, and the main street is abuzz with people taking in the sights. It has been a favourite Christmas season destination for the Old Boy and I for decades and we wanted to share it with our friends.

As it happened, on the day we had planned to go I had to have a bone biopsy taken from my rib. It was a particularly nasty procedure and if I ever have to have it done again I’m going to demand I get knocked out. I was told to do nothing for 24 hours and to “take it easy”. What about the lights?

I decided that as it’s so hard to find a free night that suits everyone at this time of the year, we should still go. I would just be sitting in the car for about 30 – 40 minutes and then I needn’t go to the market or wander about. I could even stay in the car and we could just drive around to see the light display. Easy.

We got there early before the crowds built up and parked in the main street. We found a bench near a coffee vendor, just across the road from a beautifully decorated gift shop. We sat, bought some coffee and relaxed. I couldn’t have walked any further and our friends were quite content to sit there with me. Gradually the sun went down and the lights came on. The footpaths became filled with people – individuals, lovey-dovey couples, groups of teenagers and lots of family groups – and they wandered up and down the street. Some of the kids were wearing their PJs. Several of them passed by us a number of times and we chatted to them as though they were old friends. We waved at the kids. We patted the dogs.

We didn’t move from that spot until the crowds had begun to thin out and it was time to leave. We did a circuit around the town to admire the decorations and then made our way back through the hills to home. I managed to make it all the way inside the house before being violently sick.  And, yes, it was worth it.

We’ve gone back every Christmas since and we do the same thing (except for the vomitting). It’s such a happy, relaxing, heart-warming thing to do. (Not the vomitting!) If I hadn’t been forced to “take it easy” we might have been caught up in the rush from one market stall to another and the hustle and bustle of working our way through the crowds. It wouldn’t have been the same sort of experience and, most probably, would not have become our favourite Christmas thing. We’re going in two sleeps time and I can’t wait.

And you know what? Apart from the coffee (and maybe something to eat) it doesn’t cost a thing. I hope you and yours find something equally peaceful, relaxed, happy and commercial-free to do this Christmas season. (Or Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, or family feast and gift-giving time.)