The Light House

Each Christmas season Anna and Rose looked forward to the family tradition of driving to the "light house," a farmhouse that was covered from top to bottom with Christmas lights. When it came into view, they would cry, "Drive slower!" "Turn around!" "Go back!" One drive past all the lights that blinked and winked and flashed and chased was never enough.

On the first day of December the girls were eager to see the light house again.

"Can we go to the light house tonight?" Anna asked.

"It's a little too early," Mom said.

"We'll go there when it's a bit closer to Christmas," Dad said.

Rose and Anna decided to go to their room and practice saying "ooh!" and "aah!" They wanted to be ready when the time came.

Finally, it was time to see the lights. The girls eagerly climbed into the car with their parents. As Dad drove, Anna leaned forward and sang, " `Jingle bells, jingle bells,' " in his right ear while Rose belted out, " `Now bring us some figgy pudding,' " in Mom's left ear.

"How about a little `Silent Night'?" Dad asked with a smile.

Looking down the street, Mom frowned and asked, "Are you sure you turned on the right road?"

"Of course," Dad replied.

"But I can't see any lights up ahead," Anna said.

"It's dark!" Rose cried.

"I wonder what could be wrong," Mom said.

"Maybe they got tired of stringing up all those lights," Dad said.

"I don't think so," Mom replied. "Just last week my friend Marsha said she saw Mr. and Mrs. Watt outside, and Mr. Watt was climbing up a ladder with some lights."

"I wanted to say, `Ooh,' " Rose said disappointedly.

"And I wanted to say `Aah,' " Anna said.

"Maybe they forgot to turn them on or they had to go away tonight. We'll come back tomorrow night," Dad said.

When the family drove to the farmhouse the next night, it was still dark.

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