I’m dreaming of a white Christmas. Specifically, I dream of a Christmas in which the lights blaze white. Please do not believe I write of the white fluorescent lights that illuminate retail stores or the white lights which cast an eerie blue hue. I am talking about the warm, glowing white lights which capture the essence of everything glorious about Christmas in their twinkling existence.
The most classic Christmas decorations are those enveloped in the pristine, glowing warmth of white Christmas lights. We find pictures of rooms decorated for Christmas in Pottery Barn where giant spruce trees and Douglas firs are wrapped in the star-like shine of white Christmas lights; radiant strands of white lights woven between the banisters of mahogany stair cases.
The brightest houses on the block are those which have been crisply outlined with blazing clarity, bringing light to the neighborhood.
White Christmas lights are classy, traditional, bright, and simple. For minimalists like me, these pinpricks of stardust are perfect for the holidays. They don’t scream with a gaudy voice like colored Christmas lights, but like an elegant string of pearls, they grace the home. Colored lights, like the gumdrops on a gingerbread house, grow stale and tiresome as the season wears on. White lights stay joyful until the day in January comes when they are taken down.
I grew up in the rural Midwest. In Southern Michigan the sun sets very early in the winter evenings. A dark and cold living room is set ablaze with the cheer of white Christmas lights. They are not harsh, but they are hopeful. Colored Christmas lights illuminate the same room with a dingy glow resembling the atmosphere of a cheap pub and grill. Though newer, colored LED lights shine brighter than traditional colored lights, they pain the eyes with their garish shades of blue, pink, purple, and bright green.
White lights showcase the individual beauty of each ornament on the Christmas tree. Each unique ornament basks in the spotlight which casts no strange color upon it. Colored lights distort the image of some ornaments, upsetting the balance and beauty of the entire tree.
White lights don’t clash with wallpaper. Imagine a red glow on that green wall in the living room. White lights add to the charm of the space they adorn; they don’t turn it into a freakish nightmare of color clash.
For a moment, let us pause and think of the reason we celebrate Christmas. Isaiah 9:6 reads: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” This birth of a Prince, this celebration of Christ as man, is best represented by pure white light. The Light of the World is best honored by the brightness of the white lights which we use to commemorate this season.
Ms. Channels is a sophomore studying English and French.
