Christmas Eve in Summerville, South Carolina.
It is one of the sweetest family memories.
The entire neighborhood was lined with luminaries; small white votive candles, anchored with sand, inserted into white paper bags.
On a night that was usually about 60 degrees, folks lit their candles after dark, and put holiday music on speakers aimed toward the steady line of traffic that slowly paraded through the community.
If someone was to be away for the holidays, neighbors set up their candles to achieve an unbroken line in front of the hundreds of homes.
We all served snacks, drinks, shared the splendor and the camaraderie.
It was a tradition since the 1980’s and well known throughout the area. Folks travelled for miles to witness.
The steady stream of slow moving traffic had another benefit. It kept us all at home for a few hours.
It is said that the candles could be seen from the air, and might have served as a runway for Santa.
Courtesy. Beaver Creek Record
Note: Best experienced in person, the majesty and serenity was difficult to capture on film, especially at night. I found the photo above from a community in Ohio that best represents it for me.
vanbytheriver 
What a lovely tradition 🙂
When my kids talk about holiday memories…that is the one they remember most fondly. It was special, Sue. ❄️
I can imagine… very special 🙂
They also loved that we had no formal dinner that night, just set up a cold buffet that they could eat all night, and invite friends in to share. ☺
I used to do that Christmas tea-time… we never knew who would turn up and that was wonderful 🙂
nice post. wonderful pics. 🙂
Thanks, Jim. 🎄
How gorgeous! Were they not concerned about the paper bags catching on fire from the candles, Van? I must admit lights are magical … and the photograph you shared is mesmerizing!! Thank you! ❤
They were small tea-light style candles and burned out in a few hours, Amy. We were all very watchful. A few bags caught fire, we heard, but we never saw it happen. 💂 🎅 👼
Tea lights. That does sound a lot safer, Van. Though breathtakingly beautiful, a live flame can do a lot of damage. ❤
Simple and elegant – just as Christmas should be!
That’s for sure, Vic. I so agree. 🎄 Thanks.
What a beautiful tradition. I especially like the idea of guiding Santa’s sleigh in. How magical!
It was magical. Thanks, CM. 🎅
How incredibly beautiful is this?! My sister lives in Bluffton, SC, which is a little south of there. If they were still doing this, I would tell her to go check it out! So beautiful – thanks for sharing such a heartwarming memory. xo
As far as I know, they still do it there, Kelly. The communities of Ashborough and Ashborough East. We were there in the 90’s. 💂 🎅 👼 It was a lovely tradition that made up for the lack of snow. No white Christmas…barely a white winter. ☺
That looks lovely Van. What a lovely tradition, it must have looked magical. 🙂
It really did, Judy. Thanks. 💂 🎅 👼
I’ve seen individual homes do this on walkways and drives, and it’s always looked so magical. I can imagine that a neighborhood lit up like this would be stunning. Makes we want to run out and get the supplies 🙂
The community was very proud of it, and very organized. They recorded the length of each property, how many bags it took, etc. The sand was piled high at the club house, where we picked up the bags and candles. It turned out so well. 🎄
They did seem very uniform! 🙂
☺ 🎄 🎄 🎄 ☺
Beautiful tradition.
Thanks, Kitt. I’ve never seen it done as well since then. It was special.🎄
What a great photo! Those candles are definitely a nice touch!
Sometimes, the simplest of things can be the most effective. Thanks, Jason. 🎄
What a cool tradition! ❤
Diana xo
It was cool, Diana, and the weather…always cooperated ! 🎄
You are such a beautiful luminary to me Van ! Your bright light has been an endearing blessing for me …Merry Christmas to you and all your loved ones my sweet friend ….love , megxxx
Wishing you peace, love and so much joy in the new year, Meg. You are special. ❤️
I love stuff like this. It immediately gets to me.
Merry Christmas, Colette. Glad you enjoyed it. 💂 🎅 👼
I would love to see this. What a spectacular event.
Merry Christmas, Van
It was quite a sight to see, for sure. Merry Christmas, Hugh. 🎄
Wow Van that is amazing! what a memory!
It was really special, Lynn. We all still talk about it a lot, especially on Christmas Eve. 🎄
Yes I am sure!
❄️ ☃️ ❄️
Van, I hope you had a spectacular Christmas. ;o)
Thanks, Paul. It was very nice ! ❤️
:o)
That’s a really lovely thing to have been a part of. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve seen luminaries around here…
I had never seen it done well…either before or since, in that the whole community was on board. 🔥🔥🔥
Any time a community celebrates Christmas as a community, it is special, but those luminarias would make it look magical. How wonderful your children got to experience that, Van.
It was something we all still talk about every holiday, OB. ☺
I wonder how something like that would go in Australia? There’s a real anti-authority streak here so you’d have the conformists and the non-conformists. I could see someone having to put colour in there somewhere just to be different!
It does look very beautiful and I’d imagine in a cool climate also atmospheric. In so many parts of Australia, you couldn’t do that with real candles due to the severe bushfire risk. In many places, it’s more of a case of when, not if, with the bush fires too.
xx Rowena
In a dry climate, would indeed be so dangerous. There was a lot of subtropical humidity in South Carolina…so, not a problem. It was a genuine and memorable experience. ☺