CHRISTMAS LITE? NOT AT THIS HOUSE FAMILY CREATES EXTRAVAGANZA AS A TRADITION.

Byline: Peggy Hager Staff Writer

PALMDALE - For thousands of Antelope Valley youngsters and parents, visiting Greg and Judy Shumard's home is a Christmas tradition.

Greg Shumard spends three weeks putting up 20,000 lights and other decorations, then dresses up as Santa Claus night after night to greet young visitors, some of whom tell him they've been coming for years.

``That makes it kind of special. That's really the reason why we do it,'' Shumard said.

Tonight's the last night Santa will appear this year at the Shumards' house at 37153 Waterman Ave., just south of Avenue S and east of 35th Street East. But the lights will stay lighted nightly through Jan. 1.

The annual event now draws 2,500 to 3,000 visitors to Santa each year and untold more who just drive by. But it had humble beginnings.

When the Shumards moved into their home in 1987, they put up a few Christmas lights. The next year they added more lights and so did their neighbor across the street.

``Every time we added a couple of more strands, he would add a couple more, and we were kind of competing against each other there for a while,'' Greg said.

The fourth year into their friendly competition, Judy entered their house into the Palmdale Chamber of Commerce Christmas contest. It won first place for best use of light.

Santa was added to the attractions after a friend dressed up as Santa Claus for one night, then refused to do it again because it was too cold.

A few days later Judy, a Cactus Elementary School teacher, felt sorry for youngsters showing up looking for Santa and told her husband they needed to do something about it.

``Dummy me put the suit on, and pretty much I've been doing it ever since,'' laughed Greg, who works at Desert Lawn Memorial Park. ``I went out there, and I liked it. My mother-in-law made me a Santa suit. Every year we've been doing the Santa, and every year we've added a few more things.''

This year the yard features wooden reindeer corralled in a corner, lights on just about every square inch of the house, sponsor signs along the driveway, and a toy train circling a tiny lighted village in the front window.

The sponsors help pay the electricity bill - $600 last year.

The Desert Noon Lions Club uses the event as a fund-raiser for its eyeglass program, selling hot chocolate for a donation. Students from the Palmdale High School's medical magnet help out.

Palmdale High School's Dixieland Jazz Band has provided music this year.

Every year it takes Greg Shumard nearly three weeks to put up the Christmas lights and decorations (and three weeks to take them down). He begins in early November and has them ready to turn on Thanksgiving evening.

``A lot of people are aware of that and they will actually come and they will park their cars and they will wait out there on Thanksgiving night ... for me to turn my lights on,'' said Greg. While he uses his two weeks' vacation to put up lights, his wife Judy takes her annual vacation to visit relatives in Arizona.

``I leave him and his lights here,'' Judy said.

``If she starts helping me, I'll ask for a suggestion, she'll tell me and then I'll say, nah, I don't like that anyway. And I'll do it my own way. So to avoid argument she goes on vacation,'' explained Greg.

The couple's 16-year-old son helps organize the volunteers. Their 24- year-old brought the Shumards' first grandchild to visit Santa this year.

Two years ago, a niece made a mailbox for letters to Santa and Christmas lists.

Once, one letter came from a neighborhood girl whose father was out of work. Judy took the letter to the girl's school, which helped raise money to buy the family gifts.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Greg and Judy Shumard dress as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus in addition to decking their home in holiday lighting.

(2 -- 3 -- color) The elaborate decoration of the Shumards' Waterman Avenue home, at left, has evolved over the years. Greg Shumard as Santa, above, poses for photographs with a group of visitors to his Palmdale home.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer