Each year our whole neighborhood waits for the day after Thanksgiving.

For as many years as I can remember while living at our present house, the official beginning of the Christmas Season has always been marked by this house. The house is at the entrance to the area where we live. It was the original homestead/farm that our small community now occupies. When this house was built, all the land surrounding it was forests and rolling hills.

Thanks to the dedication of the the entire family that lives here...each Thanksgiving weekend...once gathered for Thanksgiving...they all pitch in and help decorate and each year we all are amazed at the beauty of this house...as if it was the first time we had seen it.

So many times Christmas decorating can be "over the top". Not this home...it is done "just right".

Thank you to the hard work and dedication over the years...we all appreciate it!

Dan

Update: Well I guess you had better be nice and not naughty...I will be watching! I delivered a picture of the house to the folks that live there yesterday and they were kind enough to show me old pictures of the house back into the 1800s. As we talked they spoke of their grandchildren and how they enjoy the lights at Christmas. They told me that "Santa" always arrives on Christmas morning for the grandchildren at first just peeking into the windows and then comes in to give out the presents to the kids. "Santa" who had visited for years passed away last year. As we spoke, the lady looked at me out of the corner of her eye and said, "You wouldn't want to be Santa....would you?" I said, "Do you have a suit?" "Yes" she said and without hesitation...I said "Well you've got yourself a Santa!"

As we talked more they told me they had a "special Santa suit". When me and my wife (about 50 to 55 years ago) were at that Santa age...we would always make our way with our parents to the Downtown Sears and Roebuck store at Christmas...to see and talk to the "Real Santa"...this was pretty much an Evansville tradition back then...the real Santa was always at the old Sears store. The Santa suit they have is that original Santa suit! Little did I know back when I was 5 or 6 and sitting on Santa's lap that someday I would be wearing that same suit to carry on the tradition! I am honored with the chance to make my debut as the man in red early on Christmas morning!!!

I am sure there will be some pictures and I will post them after Christmas. Stay tuned!