For as far back as my memory goes, we would head out on December 13, the day after my brother’s birthday, and shop for a Christmas tree. A fake tree was not an option. We would choose the biggest, most beautiful evergreen and haul it home. We would carefully string together popcorn and Christmas-colored construction paper chains and fill each branch with our homemade decorations. It was a simple tree I’m sure, but the one thing I remember - the one thing that matters - is that it was always a beautiful tree. However, the significance of my story has to do with the one thing that our tree was missing. The one thing that I desperately wanted for our tree each year…
In 2002, my dad retired from the Birmingham Fire Department after 33 years of service. As he climbed the ranks from Rookie to Battalion Chief, he was privy to a lot of hardship and tragedy around the city that most of us never know exists. The things he learned as a firefighter and first responder often had a way of trickling over into our home. One of the lessons he repeatedly brought to us was to never, and I mean never, NEVER PUT LIGHTS ON A CHRISTMAS TREE. Every year we were reminded that although they were nice to look at, lights on a Christmas tree were a extreme fire hazard.
To prove the point, each New Years Eve after removing all of our decorations, we would gather in the backyard around our dry, parched tree. With the careful precision only a firefighter knows, my dad would touch a flame to the bottom branches. In approximately 4.3 seconds the ENTIRE tree would be engulfed in flames. If you have never watched one burn, you are missing out one of life’s true wonders. It is amazing. And it is also why we never put lights on a Christmas tree.
I first heard the term “bokeh” (I pronounce it “bow-kuh”) when Miz Booshay wrote about it last year. She defined it as “the wonderful out-of-focus light and shapes and colors you find in the background of many photos taken with a digital camera.” Couldn’t have said it better myself! Finding the bokeh is my mission this Christmas. If you spot any Christmas bokeh in your images, blog it and leave a comment with a link to your site. I would love to see!
Christmas lights have come a long way since the late 80′s/early 90′s. I’m pretty sure they’re much safer than they used to be. And I think even my dad would agree that when used responsibly they can really add something special to your Christmastime photography!
by Amanda
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