It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
People around the nation are getting festive to spread cheer during the COVID-19 pandemic — including putting back up their Christmas lights.
The trend started when Lane Grindle, a broadcaster for the Milwaukee Brewers, posed the idea on Twitter a few weeks ago.
“What if we all put our Christmas lights back up? Then we could get in the car and drive around and look at them. That seems like a fair social distancing activity,” he wrote.
Since then, several Twitter users have embraced the idea, posting pictures of their houses or yards adorned with bright Christmas lights, often using the hashtag #LightsForLife.
Twitter user Brian Samoulides posted a picture of a heart-shaped light display and wrote, “Trying to spread some cheer. We’ll get through this together.”
Many people are hanging lights as a way to say “thank you” to those working tirelessly to combat the pandemic.
Twitter user Pamela Cloutier wrote, “Putting up my Christmas lights to spread love and hope to all. And to say thanks to all the care givers!”
One community in Mississippi decided to all put up lights “to honor and show gratitude to the doctors, nurses, medical pros, first responders and everyone else working to aid others,” reads a post from @Rankin Chamber.
They encouraged residents to place a light outside their home — whether it was Christmas lights, a flashlight, candle or even a porch light.
Others are continuing to “lighten up the lockdown” by giving those driving by something cheery to look at, such as the word “love” in Christmas lights. Twitter user Christina Watkins responded to the trend by saying “This is exactly what we need!”
She posted a photo of a sign in Metairie, Louisiana, that reads “No darkness and fear during these scary times, only hope, cheer and cheesy light displays!”
