In response to Charil’s Carrot Range Flash Fiction Challenge: Spreading the Light
Tensions were running high as was expected at this time of year. The first weekend of December must always be murderously hot, and so the whole household must work away in baking heat to cover the property in artistically arranged Christmas lights.
From previous experience we knew we must stock the freezer with zooper doopers. It didn’t matter how old we were, that stuff was more potent than Gatorade. But even though we prepared, by late afternoon we had dissolved into sweaty, frustrated shouting matches.
Until the sun went down and the lights came on.
And everything was okay.
I was very literal with the prompt this time, wasn’t I? On that note, did we all get to see the Christmas lights in our neighbourhood? It was always a tradition in my family, not to put up Christmas lights, but to drive around on Christmas Eve and see everyone else’s lights!
While googling pictures of Christmas lights for inspiration, I came across this wonderful article from Canberra highlighting the people who decorate their homes for others to visit, raising funds and drawing attention to important charities. The stories in this article are far more important than my frivolous flash fiction, so if you want to give it a read you can find it here.
Versus Blurb 
Please enlighten me where can I pick up a six pack of zooper doopers?
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Your flash reminds me of many tasks we take on that seem unsavory until the work is finished. In this case, the lights are the reward. I was thinking how Christmas lights at night unify different terrains and hemispheres during the season. Great article, too, how people in the community use the displays for raising money for charities. That’s doubling the light value!
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Ha! Putting up the lights in that heat. Some people start in March, or maybe earlier, to get their displays ready in time for Christmas. To pre-empt Charli’s next prompt: that’s industrious! Those Zooper Doopers are just the thing for cooling down. I had something similar this afternoon. Great flash! Happy New Year!
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