Christmas In Neighborhood Light Display - Michigan Holiday Road Show

Here it is 2011 and our neighborhood is getting geared up for the crowds, frivolity and excitement. Last year the Holiday Road event raised $20,341.98 in just 16 days. This money was donated to two charities. Each year we, the residents, get to vote on the charity we would like to see receive the donation. This year's donation will go to Special Olympics.

It all began four years ago. One of my neighbors, Brad, came to our door and shared his vision for creating a Holiday Road. He wanted to create a wonderland in our neighborhood, complete with 200,000 (it is much bigger now) Christmas lights synchronized to music. My eyes lit up as I began to catch the vision. Next, he asked if we would have any opposition to him decorating our house and yard. Are you kidding! Brad was actually asking if he could do all the work and cover our house and yard with the reality of his magical vision. After the first year, I requested the Manger scene in our yard as Jesus is the reason for the season for our family. Brad granted my request with an awesome Manger scene - he said he is going to add more to it this year. Yahoo!

I am amazed that as Brad went to 14 houses each household said, yes. Of course having your home decorated and set to music by a creative genius is a gift to all of us; but saying yes also means that we will have so much traffic that the Ottawa County Police will be policing the entrance from Thanksgiving evening through December 17th. All of the residents of Heather Court access the neighborhood by using only one of the two exits off Highway 31. The other exit will have a line so long it could take an hour or so to get to your driveway. So, when you consider the odds of having 14 households agree to this (the first year) I’d say it’s a Christmas Miracle.

Each year Brad initiates an opening night block party to celebrate Holiday Road. All of our neighbors and friends and families get together for a potluck in the streets. It was surreal to be walking from table to table with your hands rolled up in your sleeves (it’s cold here in Michigan) eating at dusk and trying to figure out what was in each 'pot.' It really brings the neighborhood together. After about an hour of eating and chatting, the light show begins. We stand in awe as we marvel at the formation of lights dancing rhythmically to a variety of Christmas songs. As I look around I see faces crinkled with smiles of delight and wonder. Last year I enjoyed a good laugh as I turned to see my daughter and her husband boogieing to the music. My son was taking in the moment and caught up with the wonder. The children’s faces were enchanted as their eyes sparkled with delight. They danced and dashed and jumped to the tempo of jazzy music pieces. I knew right then and there that this was an occasion I would enjoy in my heart for years to come.

We invited our whole family and some friends who kept traipsing back and forth to our house to get their toes and fingers warmed. Afterwards we all sat contentedly in our living room talking about our favorite songs, displays and special moments.

I doubt anyone had more fun than our guest’s on opening night. After Thanksgiving dinner we were all anticipating the opening night for Holiday Road which was to start at 6:00p.m. At 5:30p.m., before the volunteers were totally prepared, the cars started pulling into the neighborhood. Our Thanksgiving Dinner guests were all at the windows watching as the excitement raised.

Some of my guests, to my astonishment, were dancing in the windows. I shouted to them, “Hey you guys, I have to live here, ya know!” But do you think that stopped them? No, it did not! Whenever I'd gather enough courage, I'd peek in the room and catch glimpses of them. I finally decided they were having too much fun to stop them. At one point my daughter bent down underneath the window sill inside. She took my one year old grandson and held him up to the window as she mysteriously moved him, as if dancing, to the music. What the road visitors were thinking, I can only imagine. I have to admit it was hysterical!

We have until the 17th this year to enjoy the festivities, gyrations, guests and entertainment as we gaze out our window to see our very own Winter Wonderland called Holiday Road.

Here is the Link to our Holiday Road

http://www.holidayroadlights.com/

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