COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. — A woman's childhood Christmas memories have inspired her to create new traditions with her family and neighbors in Colonial Heights.
Lindsey Engle, who grew up in the Ashby Acres neighborhood, is bringing back an old holiday tradition that involves luminaries, white bags filled with sand and candles.
“It’s Christmas Magic,” said Lindsey, reflecting on the festive atmosphere that fills the neighborhood on Christmas Eve when hundreds of tiny lights line the streets.
She remembered how much she loved looking at the twinkly lights and called walking around the neighborhood as a girl her "favorite tradition.”
For more than two decades, the community enjoyed the tradition of lining the streets with luminaries, gathering together over pots of Brunswick stew, cookies, and hot chocolate. However, over time, the tradition faded.
So when Lindsey and her husband Cody moved back to the neighborhood with their three children two years ago, they decided to bring back the custom.
“We had just moved into the neighborhood, and we wanted to know our neighbors,” Lindsey explained.
To bring the luminaries back, Lindsey had her children deliver notes to the neighbors, asking if they would join in the tradition.
“We wanted to bring back the luminaries,” she said.
Cody added that the luminaries were a perfect fit for their family's holiday celebrations.
“My big thing for Christmas is just doing stuff together; that’s my number one thing I want to do and care about,” he said.
Neighbor Danny Ryan said he was inspired by the beginning of the new tradition last year.
“It just blew me away, my first year of seeing that, which was last year," Ryan said. "And this year was our second year, and it’s just awesome.”
As word spread, more neighbors began participating.
“We have people now who stop and park their cars just to walk the neighborhood,” Lindsey noted.
About two dozen neighbors came together to set up and light 850 luminaries on Tuesday.
Lindsey said the dipslay "just brings something magical to a Christmas Eve."
Danny added, “This is a young couple doing that and bringing us all together to get to know each other. I love it; it’s just great.”
For the Engle family, this tradition is about building memories with their children and creating fond moments with their neighbors.
“Even if it’s just for one night, with a common goal of bringing a little light and joy to the world,” Lindsey said.
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