Lighting Contest winners dazzle Scripps Ranch
The second annual Twenty Four Seven Realty-Scripps Ranch News Home for the Holidays Lighting Contest was another great success, with numerous families participating and showcasing their homes decorated with glowing lights and other festive accessories. The popular event added to the wonderful holiday spirit in Scripps Ranch this season.
There were 35 entrants for the second year in a row, and all added to the fun as a holiday map was provided for Scripps Ranch residents so they could tour the bright holiday displays.
The Norman Rockwell Award: “Merry & Bright;” submitted by Magali Sparks. The Norman Rockwell Award is awarded to a home with “an elegant display that accentuates and coordinates with the beauty and elegance of the home.”
This tasteful display took the Sparks family about one weekend to create. The family includes Danny and Magali Sparks, with children Jackson, 13, and Carter, 11.
“We enjoy doing it and have a great time as a family putting it all on,” Danny said. “We add a little bit every year. This year we did a little bit more around the windows than normal. … All of the lights are an older fashion. Normally we do the house just like that but with all white lights. This was the first year we did with all color lights.”
The display includes lights outlining the house, a wreath high above the garage and two reindeer grazing on the front lawn.
Clark Griswold Award: submitted by Terri Sparks. The Clark Griswold Award is given to the display with “the most over the top lights with lighting displays and motion.”
Nostalgia Award: “Once Upon a Christmas;” submitted by Roger and Betty Rule. The Nostalgia Award is awarded to the home display that “reminds me of my childhood.”
This colorful display included several figures in the yard, lights along the fences, a vinyl banner showing Santa’s workshop along the garage door and a projection of Santa in motion on a second floor window.
“You can look at it and enjoy all the lights, and it kind of brings back memories of your childhood and Christmases of the past,” Betty Rule explained.
The display took Betty and Roger Rule about two or three days to set up, with the help of their family and a family friend. The Rules designed and built their home 35 years ago.
Misfit Toy Award: “Holidays for Kids;” submitted by Bill and Jany Staley. The Misfit Toy Award is presented to the home display with the “best use of inflatables.”
This delightful display includes numerous lighted figures in the yard, including a favorite Santa in an outhouse. Decorations on the roof include a 7-foot wagon with puppies, a penguin popping out of a cookie jar, a large Santa, a lighted train and a balloon with Santa in in it. There are blowups, lights around the windows and snowflakes on a wire coming off the house. Bill Staley admits that wife Jany puts up most of the decorations on the roof and at the higher elevations because he has a fear of heights. The whole production takes several weeks.
“I start on the backyard in the middle of October,” Bill said. “We start on the front yard Nov. 2, after we take down a little bit of the Halloween decorations. We are 96 percent done by Thanksgiving evening.”
Despite the time and effort involved, the family hopes to continue.
“It’s a lot of work putting it up, but we enjoy it because a lot of people enjoy it. The kids enjoy it,” Bill said. “It comes down a lot quicker.”
Grandma Got Run Over Award: “Wild Life Lights;” submitted by Eric Richardson. The Grandma Got Run Over Award is presented to the “funniest” home display.
The Sparkle Award: “O’Day Lights;” submitted by Ben O’Day. The Sparkle Award is presented to the home display with the “twinkliest lights.”
Each member of the O’Day family was involved with creating their holiday display, and all were happy to win an award.
“We were all very excited,” said Ben O’Day. “I’d say my kids were even more excited than I was. They were the big motivation for it this year.”
Besides Ben, the O’Day family consists of mother Kelly and children Riley, 14; Marley, 13; and Landry, 10.
“We started a little before Thanksgiving and we probably added stuff until almost Christmas,” Ben said. “It just evolves … We put stuff out and if we like it, we keep it; if not, we change it around.”
Ben builds some of the light displays by placing LED light strips inside plumbing tubing, then shapes the tubing, resulting in lights that are slightly diffused. He allows his three daughters to program the light movements, pattern and colors by using a cell phone.
Their display includes some traditional holiday lights, inflatables and wood cutouts as well. The girls each paint the new cutouts.
“We are a DIY kind of family. We make a lot of stuff on our own,” Ben said.
It Takes a Village Award (group award): “Merry cul de sac;” Pinot Noir cul de sac. The It Takes a Village Award is given to the “best decorated group of homes.”
To the Beat of Your Own Drummer Boy Award: “Ho Ho Ho;” submitted by Johner Riehl. The To the Beat of Your Own Little Drummer Boy Award is presented to the best display that is “unique and WOW!”
Twenty Four Seven Realty sponsored this event, provided signs for the entrants, judged the contest and gathered prizes for the winners.
The following businesses helped provide prizes for the 2021 Twenty Four Seven Realty-Scripps Ranch News Home for the Holidays Lighting Contest: The French Oven Bakery; Public House 131; Chili Peppers; Fitness Quest 10 – Janille Leslie, trainer; Nutmeg Bakery; Pazzo’s Pizza; Jack In The Box Corp.; Junction Bar & Grill and Inflate San Diego.
