Luminaria at Christmas time

[debodun]

My mom started doing these on Christmas eve after my dad passed, weather permitting (often it was snowing, raining or too windy). I continued with it a few years after she passed until I ran out of votive candles.

Get white paper bags, 10-11 inches tall, 6 inches wide and 3.5 inches deep. Put about 2 inches of dry sand or gravel in the bottom. Place bags where you want them. Center a votive candle on the bottom. After dark, light the candles, but keep bag open. She did about a dozen along out front sidewalk, but I had to disassemble them the next morning. I save the bags and sand, but we had to get new candles every year, unless mom got a super large box of them.

 

[That Lady in PA]

Our entire neighborhood did luminaria, but with gallon milk jugs and plumber's candles.

The candles lasted all night, and the plastic jugs ensured everything stayed functional no matter what the weather.

230 houses, and 90% participation! It was gorgeous

 

[Aunt Bea]

The preservation area where I take my morning walks does them once a year when they have caroling and a sort of open house for neighbors and friends.

I love to see them but I’m too much of a worrier to have bags filled with burning candles on the front lawn.

 

[debodun]

I love to see them but I’m too much of a worrier to have bags filled with burning candles on the front lawn.

When we used to drive around on Christmas eve to see other homes decorated, once in a while I'd see one where the bag was burning. That why I never did it on a windy night. The bag could blow over into the candle flame. I suppose if there had been a drought and the grass was dry and no rain or snow on the ground, that could be dangerous.