It started to feel a lot like a holiday, a small town in Dutchess County that made everyone enjoy it.

We can all prove that the past two years have been difficult, so there is no shortcut in spreading Christmas joy and holiday fun.

During our first pandemic holiday in 2020, Hyde Park Park and Recreation Center created the Merry & Bright holiday driving tour. They encouraged the residents of Hyde Park to decorate the hall and go all out to decorate the festival. Then, each family is added to the map for those seeking a happy holiday.

There is no better way to find the festive mood than packing up your car and driving around the city to see the Christmas lights.

Merry & Bright returns again in 2021. Hyde Park Park and Recreation Center has released a registration form for residents who want to participate and wrote:

"Merry & Bright is a holiday event that will be held from December 5th to 19th, 2021. We ask all participants to prepare their holiday display by 5pm on Sunday, December 5th for passing by and watching. The display is lit up every night until December 19th to 9 pm. Viewers can choose to vote and submit votes for their favorite residential and commercial displays."

We have seen signs of the holidays slowly spreading to the Hudson Valley. The decorations and Christmas music can be seen and heard. So why not join in earlier this year and start decorating?

If you live in the Hyde Park area and want to participate in Merry & Bright, you can find the registration form online on Facebook and its website.