A few years back, our good friends Charlotte and Dick Forrester took us on a Tacky Light Tour in their hometown, Richmond. All I can say is that those folks in RVA really do it right when it comes to Christmas decorations. But as we passed by many houses, I noted a common theme. Many had a single tree decorated that made absolutely no sense. There would be green lights on one branch and red on another. The trunk might have been wrapped with a purple blinking rope and who knows what were on the other branches. Dick explained that these were Richmond Trees, a local tradition.
This year, I decided to do a Richmond Tree in our front yard. A single dogwood at the curb was well suited. But when the time came to string the lights, we didn’t have a ladder.
Rats!
Patience is not one of my personal assets, so I immediately changed courses and decided to do a Richmond Tree Hedge at the front of our house. I did it and it looks like – well, it doesn’t make any sense either. We used a variety of lights – none matched, but I think it looks quite festive. Neighbors passing by always slow down and admire – I hope they are admiring, or they might be thinking, “Somebody had too many glasses of Egg Nog before decorating their yard.”
Whatever. I like it. It’s my Richmond Tree Hedge.