Before my family attends Christmas Eve mass, we partake in a long standing Reser tradition. An hour or so before the service begins at St. Thomas More Parish in Spokane, it is custom for us to drive around certain parts of the city and look at Christmas light displays. This year was no different as we piled into my dad’s truck and cruised around the frosted streets looking at houses covered in the holiday spirit. This Christmas Eve I think I saw the most creatively decorated house I have ever seen.
In an upper class neighborhood not too far from our own dwelling, we pulled up to a home decked out in Yuletide cheer. It definitely had all the characteristics associated with show-stopper decorated homes: Every inch was covered in lights, it had its own radio station to listen to in your car, and it had a steady flow of cars driving up to it. But something set this house apart and that “something” had to do with a theme. This particular house was completely inspired by Disney.
If you couldn’t tell immediately upon pulling up across from the house that something was special, it would eventually dawn on you once you noticed the crowd standing at the curb. Legions of children and their parents crowded in front of the house to look at the spectacle. It is quite likely that these young kids thought they were standing in Disneyland.
This particular house was an homage to Walt Disney himself and iconic characters he and his team created over the years. You had all the classics lined up…”Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Cinderella,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Aladin.” You also had the newer Disney productions included in the display as well such as “Toy Story,” “Monsters Inc.,” “Cars,” and “Finding Nemo.” Of course you also had a heavy dose of Mickey Mouse and his family. The display also included Winnie the Pooh and Mr. Potato Head.
Every inch of the front portion of the home was decorated. The whole lawn was covered, house windows were incorporated into the display, bushes were lit up, and even the basketball hoop was covered in lights. Cars lined the street from both sides of the street and a mix of both Christmas and Disney music filled the air.
That last part I just mentioned is the reason why this display stands out from all the rest I have seen. You see, the designers of this holiday delight took two magical franchises and put them front and center for all to see. With Christmas and Disney themes tastefully and beautifully depicted front and center for all to see it is hard for even the meanest Grinch to balk at. The magic of Christmas and the magic of Disney are both powerful by themselves; in conjunction together they are unstoppable. I will remember this display for a long time and will look for it next year. Amazing job to James and Karrie King of 832 East Brierwood in Spokane for creating an incredible display. Don’t Blink.