Err, strike that. It's actually called "Silver Bells in the City." I haven't gone to the downtown Lansing tree lighting/parade/holiday explosion in several years, but it sounds like we might be going on Friday.

My dad always used to refer to this glorious event as "Burning Bags in the City" because the Jaycees used to (maybe still do?) light rows of white paper bags with small candles in them along the roads during the parade. Inevitably, the bags would catch on fire whenever it was a windy night (basically every year), and make this huge mess. I can remember running around downtown with my old man when I was four or five to help pick up the charred remains of the white bags. Ahhh, memories.

Seriously though, Silver Bells is always a lot of fun, and seeing them light the tree in front of the capitol is always a great way to get in the mood for the holidays. If you're around Lansing on Friday, it's definitely worth checking out.