It’s unclear exactly where it began, but photos of homes newly decked out with Christmas lights have been spreading on social media as quickly as Christmas cheer.
People across the country have joined the trend with messages of hope despite the darkness many feel right now amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Hannah Murray Duncan of Ventura, California, reinstalled her Christmas lights in an effort to reduce the stress of children around her and bring a little magic back into their lives.
Some individuals like April Watkins of Austin, Texas, admitted to having never taken their lights down in the first place.
Lane Grindle of Milwaulkee, Wisconsin even suggested going to see others’ Christmas lights as a social distancing activity.
“What if we all put our Christmas lights back up?” Grindle tweeted on March 15. “Then we could get in the car and drive around and look at them. That seems like a fair social distancing activity.”
Lisa St. Regis of San Francisco, California, shared that the Christmas lights provided some peace of mind for older residents in a friend’s neighborhood.
“A friend just shared that an elderly neighbor came to her house and asked her husband to turn on the Christmas lights because there’s so much darkness and scariness now,” St. Regis tweeted on March 15. “So, there are bright dancing Christmas lights now on in their neighborhood. #coronakindness”
St. Regis later was able to update the tweet with a photo of the lights display.
Some have been tagging their posts with #lightsforlife in an effort at solidarity with others during a time that can be very isolating.
The trend is a new expression of hope and togetherness while apart that communities across the world have been seeking.
In Italy, people have been singing from their balconies, while in Spain, residents have applauded healthcare and sanitation workers from their windows.