HOLIDAY LIGHTS.Byline: Michael Chmielecki Staff Writer Patriotism abounds this holiday season. So does the Christmas spirit. Many homeowners have added flags, patriotic messages and red-white- and-blue color schemes to their holiday decor, but not in a way that overwhelms the season's message of comfort and joy. Reseda residents Patrice and Roy Washburne constructed a giant peace symbol in white lights on their roof. And while that feature is striking, it's the Santa's living room they constructed in their garage they are most proud of. The ``living room'' contains a full-size lighted Christmas tree Christmas tree Evergreen tree, usually decorated with lights and ornaments, to celebrate the Christmas season. The use of evergreen trees, wreaths, and garlands as symbols of eternal life was common among the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews. , a plate of gingerbread gingerbread In architecture and design, elaborately detailed embellishment, either lavish or superfluous. Though the term is occasionally applied to such highly detailed and decorative styles as the Rococo, it usually refers to the hand-carved and -sawn wood ornamentation of cookies and Santa's coat and hat hung on a coat rack. Santa himself - a lighted face - peers in through the window. The living room scene is composed of props taken from the Washburnes' Christmas play ``Ma,'' which runs yearly in Burbank. This year, the Washburnes decided to take the set to their home. ``We both wrote the play, but it was my husband's idea to have the set brought to the house,'' Patrice says. ``It was his inspiration. I love the details, the red coat and hat on the rack, the plate of cookies waiting for Santa to return.'' The McGuires of Canoga Park opted for a traditional holiday motif - a house bedecked in lights, with a Santa Claus Santa Claus: see Nicholas, Saint. Santa Claus jolly, gift-giving figure who visits children on Christmas Eve. [Christian Tradition: NCE, 1937] See : Christmas Santa Claus figurine beckoning visitors on up the candy cane-lined walk. Yes, there is a flag composed of lights on the side of their house, but that has more to do with Pat McGuire being a veteran than the nation's newfound new·found adj. Recently discovered: a newfound pastime. Adj. 1. newfound - newly discovered; "his newfound aggressiveness"; "Hudson pointed his ship down the coast of the newfound sea" sense of patriotism. ``We fly a flag all the time,'' he says. ``We just did it in lights this year.'' His favorite feature to his holiday house is a small arrow surrounded by lights and flashing beacons. Pointing at the roof, the sign simply says Santa Stop Here. ``We love Christmas,'' Pat McGuire says of himself and his wife, Julie. ``We don't have any kids, so we get to be kids ourselves.'' Jiro ``Jack'' Ratevosian, a resident of Chatsworth, has his house in full patriotic bloom, with ``Peace'' written out in lights in the front windows, a flag angled against the side of his house, and a large ``God Bless America'' in lights on the roof. ``With the lights itself, I just like how it looks,'' Ratevosian says. ``I like making everybody around me happy. Everyone comes by, takes pictures - it brings the community together.'' Ratevosian also likes the attention his house receives for another reason: it helps children. His house is an official drop-off point for the UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX Children's Hospital A children's hospital is a hospital which offers its services exclusively to children. The number of children's hospitals proliferated in the 20th century, as pediatric medical and surgical specialties separated from internal medicine and adult surgical specialties. Toy Drive. Ratevosian, who works at the hospital, has hosted the toy drive for the past three years. ``I send out letters to 450 people around here and have a box outside. People bring by a new, unwrapped toy, around $10 in value. A couple days before Christmas, I bring it to the hospital for the kids there.'' Scott Elliott decorates three houses in Van Nuys: his home, the home of his parents' and their neighbor's. Since all the houses are on the same side of the street, the set-up makes for a huge contrast of color not of the white race; - commonly meaning, esp. in the United States, of negro blood, pure or mixed. See also: Color and light. At Elliott's house, candy-canes, cardinals (yes, birds), Santas and reindeer reindeer, ruminant mammal, genus Rangifer, of the deer family, found in arctic and subarctic regions of Eurasia and North America. It is the only deer in which both sexes have antlers. vie for attention. His parents' house next door is full of chasing lights, ribbons, penguins and reindeer. The neighbor's house comprises icicle lights, lit garland strands, a Nativity scene A nativity scene, also called a crib or crèche (meaning "crib" or "manger" in French) generally refers to any depiction of the birth or birthplace of Jesus. In Italy it is known as presepe , and more. Elliott has been decorating his side of the street for the past 8 years. He spends much time during the holidays hopping up and down ladders, rewiring lights and cranking out 300 watts of Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra to the cars in the street. ``I pretty much ran out of space for decorations,'' Elliott says. ``It's almost like a disease, how much I keep decorating. Luckily, these aren't sprawling properties - otherwise I'd be broke.'' San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. resident Gina Erwin says she wasn't going for any sort of theme with her Christmas display. Two big palm trees are decorated like candy canes. Blue-tipped icicles line the house's trim. Bells and candles sit in the windows. ``It's really beautiful, that's all,'' Erwin says. ``My neighbors told me they've decided to get one big decoration for their place - a mirror - so they can have my lights.'' The Davises of La Crescenta have a small tribute to America on their door, in the form of a wreath tied in red and blue ribbons blue ribbon denotes highest honor. [Western Folklore: Brewer Dictionary, 127] See : Prize , surrounded by white lights. Another tribute sits near the edge of the property - a miniature football field with three gingerbread men hunkered over it. One of the figures wears a 13, the number of former Crescenta Valley The Crescenta Valley is a small inland valley in Los Angeles County, California. Its name derives from its crescent-like shape, with the convex portion facing roughly northeast and the concave portion southwest. varsity football player John Barbaro, who was struck by a train earlier this year. ``Every year at Christmas, John was the first one to come to the house and the last one to leave when we were putting up Christmas lights,'' explains Heather Davis, 19, a close friend. ``This will be the first Christmas without him.'' She and 14 other friends came together to make the tribute. ``We were going to have gingerbread men anyway, so we decided we should do a football field. It's about 14-by-8 feet. We built field goals, and cut gingerbread men out of wood. I painted them. Only one of them has John's football number on it.'' ``I usually put electric trains and lights out there,'' explains Heather's father, Ed. ``But she asked me if she could do the football field this year, and I said, 'It's all yours.' '' BURBANK The Nortons, 513 N. Florence St. Merry-go-round, lights, Ferris wheel Ferris wheel, amusement park ride. It consists of a power-operated wheel that is about 50 ft (15 m) in diameter. It has two rims that are parallel to and equidistant from the shaft about which the wheel rotates. , train with smoke, toy shop, more. Web site: www.geocities.com/renortonjr/xmashome.html Keith La Prath, 529 N. Florence St. Snowland, Nativity scene, talking Christmas tree, Victorian village The Victorian Village is a neighborhood located north and near west of downtown Columbus, Ohio, USA. It is an older area with a fair number of established trees for an urban setting. . Web site: www.keithlaprath.com. David Laurell and Maxine Andrews, 230 N. Parish Place. Victorian Christmas cottage sparkling with white lights. Richard Irwin decorated two houses, 2007 and 2009 W. Chandler Blvd. Thousands of lights and yard art. Ed Pape, 1142 N. Catalina St. Festive display, Ferris wheel and more. The Reshes, 1919 N. Fairview St. Train with windmill windmill, apparatus that harnesses wind power for a variety of uses, e.g., pumping water, grinding corn, driving small sawmills, and driving electrical generators. Windmills were probably not known in Europe before the 12th cent. and cowboy. Penguins running around North Pole North Pole, northern end of the earth's axis, lat. 90°N. It is distinguished from the north magnetic pole. U.S. explorer Robert E. Peary is traditionally credited as being the first to reach (1909) the North Pole. In 1926, Richard E. . Santa and reindeer. CANOGA PARK Donna Brown, 20913 Bassett St. Hand-painted yard art, lights, Santa appearance 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 20. Casey Kerr, 20212 Hart St. Musical Christmas toyland with 10,000 lights, Rugrats and Disney characters This is a currently incomplete list of Disney characters:
The McGuires, 8133 Irondale Ave. More than 15,000 lights on a decorated gingerbread-style house, candy cane-lined yard, lighted sign with flashing beacon. CHATSWORTH Jiro ``Jack'' Ratevosian, 20257 Labrador St. Hosting UCLA Children's Hospital Toy Drive. God bless America sign, ho ho ho display, nativity Nativity See also Christmas. Neglectfulness (See CARELESSNESS.) Nervousness (See INSECURITY.) Bethlehem birthplace of Jesus. [N.T. and North Pole scenes, lights, figurines, Santa Claus balloon. ENCINO Frank Pau, 5437 Newcastle Ave. 10,000 lights, Santa Claus, decorations. LA CRESCENTA The Davises, 5104 La Crescenta Ave. Color all around and a football field with gingerbread men, dedicated to the loss of a friend. GRANADA HILLS Sally Kolstad, 11300 Andasol Ave. Holiday lights. MISSION HILLS The Hernandez and Tapia Families, 10920 Bartee Ave. Candles, wreaths, artificial snow, Disney characters, life-size Nativity with 60-plus sheep. NEWBURY PARK The Unfugs, 3391 Holloway St. Reindeer, sleigh sleigh: see sled. , lights, handmade hand·made adj. Made or prepared by hand rather than by machine. handmade Adjective made by hand, not by machine Adj. 1. elves Elves A slang term for guests appearing on the PBS television show "Wall Street Week." Notes: These technical analysts attempt to predict the direction of the market in the coming months. . NORTH HILLS The Carlsons, 16451 Tupper St. White lights, lighted sleigh, reindeer, angel, Clauses kissing, gingerbread house and people, bows and trees. NORTHRIDGE The Huffmans, 16842 Itasca St. About 25,000 lights, motorized mo·tor·ize tr.v. mo·tor·ized, mo·tor·iz·ing, mo·tor·iz·es 1. To equip with a motor. 2. To supply with motor-driven vehicles. 3. To provide with automobiles. carousel, handmade decorations, Christmas tree. Toys for Tots Toys For Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which donates toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by Major Bill Hendricks. drop-off. The Monroes, 10122 Hadley Ave. Thousands of lights, huge tree, Santa and reindeer, patriotic Christmas tree, reindeer, carolers. PALMDALE The Gills, 1743 Dawnridge Court. Candyland, nativity scene, North pole, lighted figures, Santa's toy shop. The Ramirezes, 3626 Waterford Court. Moving deer, snowman, icicle lights, Santa Claus. PANORAMA CITY Jeanne Augustine, 8341 Wakefield Ave. Icicle lights, candy canes, yard art and 10-foot Christmas tree. RESEDA The Washburnes, 6424 Bertrand Ave. 10,000 lights, giant peace symbol in white, Santa Claus on roof, garage made up into the set of Santa Claus' living room. SAN FERNANDO The Erwins, 1007 De Garmo St. Thousands of lights, Santa and his reindeer flying from roof to palm trees, lighted carousel horse, 7-foot tree, swinging bell, etc. The Rioses, 1242 O'Melveny St. Lights, decorations, sculptures, etc. SAUGUS The Papes, 22546 Lemon St. Display of lights, moving Ferris wheel, more. SIMI VALLEY Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. The Thomans, 2293 Homewood Ave. Over 20,000 lights, lawn decorations, Merry Christmas sign from house to light post. David Kelley, 4030 Adam Road. Flying Santa The Flying Santa is the name given to a tradition that dates to Christmas Day of 1929, when packages of gifts were dropped from a plane to lighthouse keepers and their families along the New England coast. and reindeer, lights. STEVENSON RANCH Stevenson Ranch, California (in the 91381 ZIP Code) is a Los Angeles County, USA, unincorporated community west of Santa Clarita a few miles south of Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park. The Stevenson Ranch fountain was redone in 2007. Martin Avila, 25756 Barnett Lane. U.S.A. Christmas home. SYLMAR The Hasterts, 14246 Bledsoe St., Sylmar. 13,000 lights, Nativity scene, animated snowman and Santa, giant candlesticks, Christmas trees, singing carolers, flying sleigh with reindeer, Santa. The Silverias, 12201 Hillsdale Ave. Let it snow theme. VAN NUYS The Forsbergs, 17550 Haynes St. Lights, Disney characters, flying reindeer and Santa. Scott Elliott has decorated three houses on Hartland Street, 14956, 14960 and 15000. Major intersection is Kester and Vanowen. WEST HILLS The Parks, 23321 Schoolcraft St. Lights, ice-skating pond with bears, Disney characters, sled, Santa's mailbox A simulated mailbox in the computer that holds e-mail messages. Mailboxes are stored on disk as a file of messages, a database of messages or as an individual file for each message. The standard mailboxes are usually In, Out, Trash and Junk (Spam). , etc. Snow brought in two days before Christmas. Mark Wine, 7362 Ashman Ave. Christmas signs, snowmen, trees, Santa on surfboard, menorahs, lights. WOODLAND HILLS Candy Cane Lane, between Oxnard and Martha streets, on the four blocks east of Winnetka Ave. and north of the Ventura Freeway The Ventura Freeway is a freeway in southern California running from Ventura to Pasadena. It is the principal east-west route through Ventura County and in the southern San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. . The Caplans, 20619 Oxnard St. Lights, American flag. The Landers, 22724 Dolorosa. Thousands of lights, reindeer and sleigh. Betty Wolff and Bob Nelson, 22260 Kittridge St. Fiber-optic trees, wreaths, deer in yard, 8-foot Santa Claus, snowman and Grinch. - Compiled by Michael Chmielecki CAPTION(S): 14 photos, box Photo: (1 -- cover 2 -- -- color) The front cover features a slight variation on the traditional Christmas tree - a festively lighted palm, at the home of the Erwins in San Fernando. Above is a snow village, part of the Erwins' collection. (3) Pat and Julie McGuire's home on Irondale Avenue has been decorated for the holidays for the past 10 years. (4) A make-believe Christmas living room, with lights and decorations, is the highlight of the Resedsa garage of Roy and Patrice Washburne, who relax with their kids, Sierre and Dustin. (5 -- color) An elaborate spread of lights brightens Ed Davis' La Crescenta home. John McCoy/Staff Photographer (6 -- 7 -- color) The Saugus home of Kim and E.J. Pepe, far left, features an intricate light shining on the garage door. This sign, near left, is a detail on the Pat and Julie McGuire home. (8 -- 9 -- color) The Chatsworth home of Jiro ``Jack'' Ratevosian, above, boasts a special message on its roof: ``God Bless America.'' Below left, Ratevosian's penguins are dressed for the occasion. (10 -- 11 -- color) Greg and Maria Carlson, near right, stand inside the gates of the North Hills home, whose decorations feature an American flag, far left. (12 -- color) Part of the lawn arrangement at the Carlsons' home is this helpful snowman. (13 -- color) The Washburne home in Reseda features, among other, more traditional decorations, a peace sign on the roof. (14) Scott Elliott surrounds himselft with holiday decor at his Hartland Street home in Van Nuys. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer Eric Grigorian/Special to the Daily News Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer Box: STEPPING INTO THE LIGHTS (see text) |
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