Plan for Happiness - Journal Your Christmas 2012

Almost 4 years ago my aunt, my daughter and I started what has become one of my favorite family traditions.  We have always loved driving around looking for christmas lights.  The Bug was born in December so for a couple of years her birthday party was to invite friends over decorate our tree and then head out with a thermos of hot chocolate and some christmas cookies to look for the biggest and best light displays.  It makes me a little sad that we did not yet know of "The Christmas Potato."  We would ooooh and ahhhh over each house...laugh a little if some poor sap happened to live next door to an amazing display and thought their festive red porch light would suffice.  One christmas we even tossed around the idea of "Humbugging" houses.  We would buy lights on sale after the holidays and then the next year if every ouse on a block was decorated...leaving one lone house with not a single light...we would "Humbug" the house.  We would take a few moments of our time...and a few strands of lights and decorate for them.  We decided this probably wasn't a very good idea...the family might be seventh day adventists...so the decorations would be seen as a slap in the face of their religion...and that is SOOOO not the point of Christmas.
Back to the point of this blog...I have been fighting cancer for the last 2.5 years...so planning any huge party...heck even attending any huge event can be draining for me.  Don't get me wrong...I love christmas and I would love to plan some enormous party....have everyone over...cook an amazing meal...chat over mulled cider...but that just isn't in the cards...when I get tired taking a shower.  Enter "The Christmas Potato!"  This is a way for me to get some of my nearest and dearest together...pour a travel mug of cocoa...pile into my mother's van...and head out looking for very special lights...even better we get to do all this in our pajamas!  There is very little prep work needed for this get together.  Simply a bag of potatoes...some rubber bands...and a print out of the potato history.

The Story of the Christmas Potato 

No one is quite sure how the tradition of the Christmas potato began. Many believe it began in the later half of the 20th century when a young man tossed seasonal greetings wrapped around uncooked potatoes into the yards of houses decorated with Christmas lights. It was his way of saying, "Thank you 

and Merry Christmas." 

Before the advent of the Christmas Potato there was no way to easily thank those who brighten our holiday season with their unselfish efforts. Now each year children and adults alike look forward to the annual pitching of the holiday spud. 

But why a potato? The young man grew up in a town called Topeka, which for many years was commonly believed to mean "A good place to dig potatoes."

Like I said we have done this for three Christmases.  It started with The Bug and me.  We had 2 potatoes each and the night we went out there was even some snow on the ground.  I remember the first potato tossed was the Bug's and her first throw hit the window...rolling the windows down is important.  The second throw ended up on the curb...so she just got out of the car and placed it under a tree.  I guess we had dawdled in front of the house too long, because the owners came outside to see what we were doing.  Thankfully the Bug was back in the car so we simply shouted "Merry Christmas...Read the Potato"...and drove off.  The second year it grew to include my parents, and last year my brother, sister in law, their son, and 10 pounds of potatoes got in on the action!  Like I said this is the easiest way for me to plan some holiday happiness.  I hope someone reading this will take to the streets potatoes in hand and lest someone know how much you appreciate the effort they put into their holiday decor.  Be careful though...if you pitch the potato too hard you might break a 

window and that is not cheery at ALL!!! 

To the Moon and Back,

Sarah

Here are some of the potato worthy houses from last year!

I think these look like cotton candy!!!!

"A" for awesome!

The Bug potatoed this house for her science teacher
a HUGE UT fan!!!