ABLAZE WITH LIGHTS; HOUSES SPARKLE WITH HOLIDAY CHEER.

Byline: Mary Schubert Daily News Staff Writer

It's a tossup who gets a bigger kick out of the holidays: the residents of Weatherfield Drive, Landon Place and Blueridge Drive, the visitors who flock to the neighborhood - or the electric company.

Every Yuletide season, families who live in the tract unleash their creativity and plug in their extension cords, setting up lavish displays of Christmas cheer that draw scores of wide-eyed spectators every night, on foot or in passing cars.

``You'll find hundreds of people out here walking,'' said Durinda Evanoff, who lives on Landon Place with her husband, Mark, and their two daughters. ``Most people thank us because they enjoy it so much.''

The front yard decorations at each home on the cul-de-sac tie in with a ``Twelve Days of Christmas'' theme. Cartoon animal depictions of ``eleven ladies dancing'' and ``twelve lords a-leaping'' adorn the front yard of Robert and Elizabeth Teagle, who have 22 extension cords plugged into garage electrical outlets.

``Before you leave our street, you have to be able to sing `The Twelve Days of Christmas,' '' joked Richard Mumford, who lives on Landon Place with his wife, Margo, and their four children.

A block away, the residents of Weatherfield Drive have strung long strands of red, green, blue and silver garland across the street and wrapped the cul-de-sac's light poles with tinsel. Painted wooden snowmen and Christmas trees have been placed on each front lawn.

Resident Scott Thompson said ``a quarter-million lights'' twinkle on the 13 homes in the neighborhood.

Southern California Edison bills jump this time of year, but the homeowners seem to take it in stride. ``Mine was about $80 higher,'' said Weatherfield Drive resident Tami Carmody.

``It's less than the air conditioning (bill) in a bad summer month,'' added Evanoff.

Although many of the houses on Blueridge Drive are still under construction, the other residents have joined the friendly competition. ``Christmas is coming - there's so much to do!'' reads one sign on the front lawn of a whimsically decorated home.

On Friday, Thompson and Weatherfield Drive neighbor Tom Propst were busy spraying a white foam on their lawns to simulate a winter wonderland. ``I'm the snow maker,'' Propst said. ``We're going to do the whole street.''

The elaborate assortment of decorations - ranging from manger scenes to giant menorahs, from wooden candy canes to red velvet bows, from rooftop Santas to wreath and angel displays created from strands of tiny bulbs - lend a festive mood that spreads from the onlookers to the residents and vice-versa, residents said.

``We give out candy canes to all the passers-by,'' Carmody said. ``It's a lot of fun. All your neighbors become real friendly and happy this time of year.''

Visitors to Landon Place, Evanoff added, are encouraged to bring a can or box of nonperishable food that the neighborhood is collecting to donate to the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) The home of the Teagles, right, is one of the houses in the area that is decorated with the theme of ``The Twelve Days of Christmas.''

(2) Visitors come by car and on foot to view the lights on the houses along Blueridge Drive in Valencia.

David R. Crane/Daily News