Oh, I did a lot more driving yesterday, but tonight was different.

Tonight after dinner, my mother-in-law mentioned that she used to like to drive through a section of her town where neighbor after neighbor would deck out their houses in Christmas lights. My wife thought it would be fun for everyone to head out for a drive. My daughter was on board right away, but the boys (OK, and maybe me as well) were a little reluctant. In the end, we all agreed to go for a drive.

It turned into a bit of a snipe hunt. We drove. And we drove and drove. And we drove. We never did get to anything that fit my mother-in-law’s description. But we ended up having a very fun evening–mostly laughing at ourselves on our foolish quest–pointing to the occasional lit-up shrub or house and shouting “Christmas lights!” At some point, my youngest suggested we sing Christmas carols, and so we did–off tune, stumbling over forgotten words, in both earnest and self-parodying renditions.

It was an evening to remember. But then again, aren’t they all?