EXCHANGE: Kokomo family lights up home for holidays
KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) - For more than half a century, Bill Miller has expressed his holiday spirit with an ever-growing outdoor display of Christmas lights.
He started decorating while he lived at home with his parents, and he's put up holiday lights for all 50 years he and his wife Linda Miller have been married. For the past 42 years, they've lit up the corner of South Washington and West King streets as they cover nearly every edge of their home, garage, fence, bushes and trees with holiday décor.
"It's just Christmas spirit, I guess," said Bill, a retired firefighter. "I like people enjoying it when they come by."
The wooden stars and giant candlesticks outlined in lights - family heirlooms built by his father - as well as a nativity scene have been a constant in the Millers' display over the years, and Bill tries to add something new each year too.
The Millers have heard from numerous people over the years who look forward to their annual light display, which Bill begins working on about a week-and-a-half before they turn on the lights around Dec. 10 each year. A bus for an assisted living center will circle the block the check out the 25,000 lights and Christmas figures from all angles, a church sent the Millers a thank-you note one year, and they've heard from police officers on the night shift that they like to see the house lit up.
Two large candlesticks stand on either side of their front gate, and there's garland and lights around each window and along the fence. A blow-up Santa and Frosty wave from the side yard, and a nativity scene is front-and-center on the north side of the front yard, while a snowman stands on the south side.
A sign above their side gate points out the north pole, and Santa's reindeer pull him and his sleigh over the Millers' driveway. Their garage is decked out too, with "Peace on Earth" written in lights on the roof and a light-up star above the garage door, as well as one of the front of the house.
"It's just different things people become acquainted with," Linda said, adding she leaves the outdoor decorating to Bill and their son who began helping in recent years. She decks the halls inside, and the Christmas festivities begin with having the whole family decorate the tree after Thanksgiving.
As many of the Millers' three children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren who are able to pitch in to put ornaments on the tree at their house. Linda also enjoys baking with her grandchildren for the holidays, and the whole family returns to the house on Christmas Eve to open one present and spend more time together. On Christmas Day, each of the Millers' children comes over at different times, keeping a more relaxed schedule for the day as they come and go.
"That's what starts our Christmas off, all of the grandchildren decorating the tree," Linda said. "It's just great to have them here, and everybody pitches in and cooks and bakes."
Unfortunately, the Millers' outdoor decorations were vandalized twice this year. They notified police after the second time, and officers now are keeping an eye on the area. Bill says he won't keep decorating if the vandalism continues, but Linda quickly says "that's not happening."
"It made me sick to my stomach," she said of seeing their decorations destroyed. "You try to do something for the community, and we know people do enjoy it."
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Source: Kokomo Tribune, http://bit.ly/1NAo7xM
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Information from: Kokomo Tribune, http://www.ktonline.com