Festival of Lights, La Salette Shrine, Attleboro

Way back in the 80s I went to the La Salette Shrine in Attleboro to check out the Festival of Lights and never forgot it.  I was happy to see that they still do it and this year we finally went there to check it out. It's a total mob scene so we were in the parking lot by 4:30, a half hour before the lights go on.  La Salette is a Catholic shrine and when I was there in the 80s, there was an amazing 'castle' on the grounds where the clergy lived and studied.  Sadly it burned down in 1999, and a modern building now sits in it's place.  

The lights were as awesome as I remembered.

The light designs are mostly religious in nature, including angels that flank each statue of the stations of the cross.

There are two places where you can go up the stairs to the top on either side by walking, or on your knees on low rise stairs.  I actually saw a few people doing it.  You ascend a step and then pray but I don't know which prayer.  Hardcore.

These lights in the tallest pines are my favourite.  They evoke a feeling...maybe a memory or a dream....that's very familiar.  I think something like this was in a Christmas-themed dream I had a few years ago that I never forgot.

My other fave part was shooting around the little pond.  The reflections were beautiful.

I loved the reflections.

The last time I was there, people were chucking pebbles on the ice because it made a chirping sound.  I never forgot that either.  So I tried it and it made the noise again!  This is the only place where I've ever heard that phenomena, which you can read about HERE.  

I hope everyone has a happy holiday, Merry Christmas, etc etc!