Monday, December 20, 2010

Oh JOY! The SANTA House!

A Christmas family tradition that most definitely brings us JOY!


About 10 years ago....my Dad said to me, "You guys have got to drive over to see this one house that is decorated for Christmas...Emily will love it!"
He then explains how to get there.
You go down said street, turn on said road...then just go straight. After you've gone about 1 mile start looking to the right...just keeping looking...when you see it illuminating through the trees, turn at the next road. I don't know the name of it. You'll see it!

Funny thing is. It's true! You can't miss it.
And that is exactly the way I give directions to others after all these years.

The house is huge and gorgeous and in a very expensive country club neighborhood.
All of the other houses are decorated just so...not overdone, but this house has lines of cars waiting to drive by. They have music playing and the Santa on the porch says Ho Ho Ho.
We look forward to driving by several times each year.

One year when my kids were younger, we sent them a Christmas card with a big thanks for all the hard work they do. They wrote us back to say that their children are all grown and they come home every year at Thanksgiving to decorate together.  I just love the thought of that, don't you?

So there you have it ....another Christmas family tradition...we never planned to have someone else's decorated house on our Christmas Season TO-DO  list....but it really wouldn't be the same without it!
It's what my kids (all of us) call The Santa House!

Believing!


I'm linking up with Dana at Bungalow'56 to share some Christmas JOY!

18 comments:

  1. And to all Jen's blogging friends, another Christmas Tradition our family has...is to wish the special woman that holds us all together as Mom and Wife....Jen of course, a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! It was yesterday...and won't you join us!

    David (Jen's Husband)

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  2. Thanks for the heads up David! Happy Birthday, Jen, since my new neice was born yesterday I knew it was a good day! Its nice to know she shares her birthday with such a beautiful person!

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  3. First of all, Jen, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
    I love that you wrote to the family that creates this beautiful house each year - and that they wrote back with that touching story about their grown children helping each Th'giving - I LOVE THAT!! Joy indeed ... great post!

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  4. Happy Birthday Jen! Hope you had a great day yesterday!
    What a beautiful Christmas house. Love that their kids come home and help them decorate...sounds like it brings JOY to so many people in your area.

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  5. I LOVE that the college age kids come back to decorate the house. That is the best! It's funny b/c our neighbor now decks out his house in all kinds of crazy lights when he never put up ANY before. He started the year his only daughter went off to college. I always wondered if it was his way of keeping the "magic" alive or for her to see when she drives back home from school for the break.

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  6. Awesome house. Seems like there is one in every town. I love people who go all out to spread some cheer. Speaking of, Happy Birthday!

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  7. Jen, Happy Happy Birthday! I hope you had a wonderful day. So glad hubby let us know. With us being cooped up somewhat I had forgotten about finding some Christmas lights. Every once in a while we get to the big city where there is a place they call Candy Cane Lane. A few streets go all out and one house in particular is very much like the photo above. We will have to see if Eldest is feeling well enough to go for a drive this week. Thank you for reminding me. And thank you for taking the time to share your post at the Bungalow : )
    Dana

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  8. I love that you wrote them a thank you card and that they responded. Great families.

    And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

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  9. I absolutely love this, especially the thought that all the grown kids come back to do it every year!

    =D

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  10. Happy Birthday Jen! Hope it was a good one. I love the tradition of going to see Christmas lights - we do it too. So much fun!

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  11. Thanks for sharing the JOY! :)

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  12. What a gorgeous house, I'd definitely go see it every year too! Hope you had a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

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  13. I totally love the thought of all the kids coming home to decorate, that is just so cool! One of my favorite Christmas time traditions is driving around to look at Christmas lights. I remember doing it as a little kid and I hope my kids remember it and do the same thing with their kids.

    And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Hope you had a wonderful day!

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  14. It is amazing how traditions start.Your dad always liked a lot of bling:)

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  15. What a house! I sure wish someone would come and decorate my house.

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  16. I love this! We do something similar, but leave a small hostess type gift. So fun!

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  17. Happy Belated birthday, Jen!

    I just loved this post - everything about it just oozes "family"...from the tradition of your family driving by several times a year, to the family living at the house, whose children come home during Thanksgiving to decorate together. That is so special and not something anyone is soon to forget!

    Beautiful house. (But am I the only person who just thinks: EEK! What kind of electric bill do they have for the month of December?!)

    xo
    Angie

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  18. I came to visit you from Dana's, and I'm so glad I did.

    First of all, Happy Birthday!

    Next, thank you for sharing the idea of having the grown children come back to decorate. I can see that as a new tradition. I love the idea.

    Thank you for sharing your holiday joy with us.

    You certainly have the spirit of the season.

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