I thought I would take a moment and send you off an email that touched on the holidays.

My family has a long history in the West Seattle area, my siblings and I, as did my parents and grandparents all graduated from West Seattle High School. And my great grandma Gertrude Fredling was a daughter of the pioneers.

I now live and raise my family in Rochester, Wash., where houses are not so close together. And I really enjoy that except for when it is the holiday season. For my family in Rochester we always look forward to coming up to West Seattle and spending a long evening driving around the streets of West Seattle/Alki looking at all the beautiful lights that so many people have taken the time to put up and share.

My family too loves to put up lights and for many years when my dad was still with us, the holiday season was his favorite time, at least in my eyes, 'cause I believe he really loved putting on the light show in the yard. He was always tickled when he sat at the dining room table and saw cars stopping to look at his yard of lights. But he has been gone now for many years but for me his lights still shine and that I owe to my brother, Mike Hooper, and my mom, Bev.

Mom still spends endless hours dressing the inside of the house with all the Christmas decorations, puts the family Christmas tree in the window along with Mr. and Mrs. Santa so they can be shared with others.

My brother Mike gives me the most special gift every year and he doesn't even know it, he has every year taken over my dads labor of love, every Christmas he goes through many frustrating hours of making sure the lights work, climbs the ladders and fusses over the lights reaching the top of the tree and that they are perfectly balanced. He gets that same tickle, sitting at that same dining room table watching people admire his work.

He has put his own flare on the holiday decor too, he even dresses up in some fun attire - my favorite is his lighted up antlers he wears on his head and his wacky outfit. Many nights you can find him outside talking with the people when they stop to look. Mike and my Mom always shop for something new to put out in the yard for the next year and when we come up from Rochester it's like an "I Spy" game for me and my kids while we try to find what is new. The neighbors are even starting to get into the spirit with their own lights too.

For me, my brother Mike and my mom are my gift!

I want people to know that the shopping malls are not the place and it doesn't take money to find the right gift for that someone on their list ... it's found in your heart and your memories of family.

I hope you enjoy your Holidays and please if you get the time drive by the house, 3620 45th Ave. S.W. I want to share my gift with you.

Laurie Hooper Wilson

Rochester, Wash.