Ye Olde Trailer Park by Candlelight Tour

As I stepped over the huge boxes and half-assembled displays this past week in one of the local retail giants, I grumbled that the holiday season is upon us. No, I am not Scrooge when it comes to the festive time of year. I just can’t believe that it is not even Halloween and already the stores are covered in plastic snow and red felt. I was still mulling over Christmas-in-September commercialism when I noticed an information flyer for an annual event in our area. It gave me an idea and set me on a mission.

Our city has a great annual holiday fundraiser. The "Olde Wilmington by Candlelight Tour" is an event where the homeowners in the downtown district decorate their homes in beautiful Christmas style. Pricey tickets are sold to the "common folk" which provide access to these stately manors to see all the things that anyone with less than a six figure income could never afford. One owner interviewed said his wife spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars decorating for this "worthy" event. The money raised is then donated to some needy charity. In truth it probably goes to building a park in the historic district for the rich and wealthy doggies to relieve themselves.

This flyer got me thinking, why don't they ever do something like this in the real neighborhoods in town? I know plenty of the middle class that put on a beautiful spread for the holidays. In fact, as I was thinking, I came across the perfect idea for this Christmas. Someone should organize the "Ye Olde Trailer Park by Candlelight Tour." Think about it, the idea has real potential! It could be a combined effort; open to both single and doublewides! No use getting snobby and excluding anyone on width size.

It would be a real boom for the economically challenged community. The holiday cheer would be abundant. I am not sure there are enough gaudy lighted plastic yard Santas in Wal-Mart to cover this project. This venture would give home to any number of lighted sleighs, elves, candy canes and stockings. Multi-colored blinking Christmas lights are suited for this task as they would wrap nicely around the cinderblocks that hold up the singlewides. They could be put to equally good use on the redwood decks of the doublewides. The blow up pools that still standing from summer should have the perfect amount of green slime water to freeze and make for a nice "neighborhood ice skating scene" complemented nicely with some guy ice fishing with his trusty six pack of Bud Light next to him. Every window (that isn't covered with cardboard) can have one of those plastic electric candles in them. (*Note: remind people to make sure they aren't too close to the synthetic curtains, they get fairly hot, don't want anyone's trailer going up in flames due to this fundraiser). Of course, every yard would have to have one of those blue metal imitation Christmas trees. I always get a chuckle out of the boxes they are packed in. They say "imitation" tree on them No! I thought there was a metal forest out there facing extinction, what a relief to not have to worry about that!

Of course, the important thing would be the money raised and putting it to good use. Each year a different individual or family would be selected to receive the funds raised. It would go to help with a need they have. Bubba down the street could use his money to finally buy tires for the old Ford that has been up on blocks for the last three years (nicely decorated this Christmas in keeping with the tour, in coordinating colored lights). Erma Jane could use it to finish the addition that has been half built and covered with plastic since the tornado come through five years ago (everyone knows she spent the FEMA money on Tupperware but no one faults her for that, considering all she lost). Dudley and MaryElizabeth could finally buy the kids a stroller instead of hauling all six of them around in a grocery cart they stole from the Piggly Wiggly a couple years ago.

I took the flyer down and tucked in my purse. Forget the "Olde Historic District Tour,” I am off to work on this project, I am sure it will be much more fulfilling. I will have to work on some of the details though. Most of the Christmas decorations usually don’t get taken down in the trailer park until Easter – perhaps I should figure a way to just make it a year-long project. Anyone interested in a ticket?