Decorated county homes light way for Santa

Santa’s big trip is only two days away, but he’ll have no trouble finding Clark County, thanks to all of the decorated houses that have been submitted to The Columbian. So grab some cocoa, put the holiday tunes on the radio and enjoy a trip around the county.

Pioneer Meadows: The Whitehead family has created a display called “Magical Lights on 63rd Street” at 16304 N.E. 63rd St. There are 40,000 lights set to music at 88.5 FM. The whole show is computer controlled, with 256 channels of animation. Highlights include a 20-foot-tall tree adorned with 9,600 lights, 10 smaller trees, a “Merry Christmas” sign and more. Donations will be accepted for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The show runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Jan. 1.

Proebstel: Joyce and Swede Livingston have some 30,000 lights on their house, yard and trees at 20306 N.E. 68th St., with 7,000 stapled onto the roof and 3,000 of them flashing to Christmas music. Decorations include a Nativity scene, statues, inflatables and lights in the trees. The couple have been lighting the way for Santa for years and add something new each year. Their lights are on from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. daily through Jan. 1.

Covington: Stan and Bobbi Kay Kirschenmann are back lighting up their house in a big way at 7207 N.E. 92nd Ave. After scaling back last year, the couple have gone all out and created a display they are calling “A Country Christmas.” Decorations include a handcrafted, full-size horse and sleigh, a Nativity and more than 25,000 lights. The lights are on from 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Jan. 1.

Woodland: Jeff Flanagan’s laptop is in charge of his light display set to music at 246 Misty Drive in Woodland. The computer controls 64 channels and 12,000 lights that can fade on and off. There’s a 20-foot tree with 4,200 lights, outdoor speakers so visitors can hear the music, as well as music piped through 106.9 FM. The show lasts for three songs and starts on the half-hour from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through New Year’s Day. Donations will be accepted on behalf of the Woodland High School girls soccer team, which may be on hand with cocoa on the weekends.

Sifton: Mila and Richard Gertz have been decorating their house at 13210 N.E. 93rd St. for the past eight years, with more decorations added each year. This year the theme is “Santa’s Christmas Fantasy.” There are close to 25,000 lights, a Christmas tree with 2,000 LED lights, crystal balls with 6,000 lights, penguins, wreaths, presents, reindeer, a Nativity and several blow-up decorations, including a carousel, a snowman and more. The lights will be on from 4 p.m. to midnight through Jan. 3. Air-blown decorations are on from 8 a.m. to midnight.

Battle Ground: The house at 303 S.W. 10th St. in Battle Ground has numerous snowmen and Santas with reindeer and Christmas trees, not to mention lots of beautiful lights. The lights are on from 5 to 11 p.m. daily until New Year’s Day.

Sunnyside: Bonnie and Jeffrey Dillard, 11512 N.E. 92nd St., have 4,000 lights, yard displays, reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and lots of music and moving lights. The lights are on from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. daily through Jan. 5.

DuBois Park: Bruce and Nancy Preece’s house at 607 Palo Alto Drive features a 10-foot-tall homemade Rudolph on the lawn, complete with a red nose, and children Rudy and Ruby. There’s also a 3-D manger scene with a Bethlehem backdrop and Frosty the Snowman. A 12-foot-tall lighted candle is on the side of the home, and all of the windows have lighted wreaths, under icicle lights on the eaves. The lights will be on from 5 to 9:30 p.m. until New Year’s Day.

Evergreen East: Angels are the predominant theme of the decorations at Terry and Michelle Burgess’ home at 2600 N.E. 165th Ave. Arches lead viewers up the 40-foot drive, and a Nativity scene features three camels, four sheep and three wise men. Other decorations include a choir of angels, Santa and his reindeer taking off from the roof, a “Noel” sign, candy canes, soldiers, and thousands of lights. The lights are on from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

La Center: Bryan Miller has once again dedicated the light display at his home at 625 E. Dogwood Ave. to his mother, who died last year. He even wrote out “Mom” on the roof in lights. He has been hanging lights since Halloween and new this year is a 9-foot tree covered with ice that has lights underneath the ice. His display includes a Nativity scene, flying air dogs filling in for the reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh on the roof, and lots of decorated trees and icicle lights all over the house.

Fisher-Mill Plain: Wayne Holloway’s home at 2517 N.E. 176th Ave. has approximately 40,000 lights that cover not only the eaves of the house and the roof but also the side; they all dance to the beat of Christmas music. The yard is decorated with more lights, reindeer and snowmen. The lights are on from 5 to 10 p.m. weekdays and until 10:30 p.m. on weekends.

n Felida: Dan and Pam Low, 3113 N.W. 127th St., have been decorating for more than 25 years and have something for everyone. The Grinch and his dog, Max, are on the roof stealing lights; dolls, snowmen and electric trains are in the windows; and elves are working on Santa’s “other ride” in the garage, a car that changes from year to year. There’s a 30-foot-tall North Pole in the yard, along with lights, inflatables, candy canes and toys.

North Salmon Creek: Gordon Bozarth has gone all-out decorating his house at 706 N.E. 134th St. from top to bottom, as well as the yard and trees. The lights are on 6 to 10 p.m. daily.

Evergreen Highlands: The Mack family home at 5701 Texas Drive is glittering once again for the holiday season. Nutcrackers stand at attention near a lighted archway, lighted snowflakes dangle from the eaves, a tall Christmas tree lights one side of the driveway and a “Noel” sign beckons passers-by at the edge of the yard. Other decorations include Christmas trees, reindeer, Santas, candy canes and lights covering the roof and house. Family friend Danny Christensen, a contestant in the Mr. Hudson’s Bay Contest, is -collecting money for Doernbecher Children’s Hospital through a donation box in front of the house. He will also be on hand to pass out candy canes and hot chocolate from time to time throughout the holiday season. The lights will be on from 5 to 9:30 p.m. through Jan. 1.

Ridgefield: The Carlsen family at 1277 S. Seventh Circle has taken on the tradition of decorating their home from Ron Clark, a family friend who used to create a light extravaganza every year. They have inherited handmade figurines, including a 9-foot snowman carrying an umbrella; Peanuts characters Woodstock, Snoopy and Charlie Brown ice skating on a water feature; as well as a signing choir of angels, reindeer and Nativity scene. “We know Ron is looking down on us from heaven with a big smile and laughing every time my husband goes out in the cold to fix another fuse that blows,” Ericka Carlsen wrote in an e-mail. Most of the display is in the backyard, which backs onto South Hillhurst Road in Ridgefield. The lights are on from 6 to 9 p.m. daily.

Ellsworth Springs: The Hart family at 901 S.E. 99th Ave. has put up more than 17,000 lights over the house and yard, with all of the shrubs covered with bulbs. Santa and a train are on the roof, and snowmen dot the yard along with blowups and candy canes. The lights are on from 6 to 10 p.m. daily.

Truman: The house at 4300 N.E. 39th Ave. has Christmas music, candy canes, reindeer, snowflakes, a cross, candles, a large Christmas tree, mini Christmas trees, presents, small ginger boys, a blow-up Snoopy, blow-up reindeer, an inflatable polar bear, plus more than 800 lights. The lights are on Sunday through Thursday from 4:30 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday night until 10 p.m.

Riveridge: Randy Peppers and his daughters have worked hard to cover their roof in lights at 11806 S.E. Riveridge Drive, and those are just some of the 30,000 or more lights on display. Other decorations include Santa and his sleigh, giant candy canes, gifts, reindeer, a snowman and lights on the trees. The lights are on from 5 to 10 p.m. daily.

Camas: Kevin and Kim Giel’s house at 2707 N.W. Leadbetter Parkway is once again done up for Christmas in a red and green theme, with icicle lights on the house, three reindeer pulling a sled, reindeer grazing, candy canes along the driveway, wreaths, Christmas figures and ornaments along the porch and the roof of the garage covered in lights. The lights are on from 4:30 to 11 p.m. daily.

Camas: Charles Gutweniger’s home at 947 N.W. Elliot St. on Prune Hill is outlined with LED C-9 bulbs and rope lights, and there are two lighted Christmas trees on the deck, two small figures and an indoor tree that can be seen from outside. The lights are on from 4 p.m. to midnight daily.

Camas: The house at 4430 N.W. Crystal Court is sporting more than 25,000 lights, a 20-foot high Christmas tree along with four smaller 6-foot trees and all of the lights are sequenced to music that can be heard at 87.9 FM. The show hours are 5 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Washougal: More than 20 houses in the Sunset Ridge subdivision along 51st Street have decorated for the holidays so there’s lots of different displays to look at.

Brush Prairie: The entire front of Dan Tierney’s house at 15711 N.E. 180th St. is covered with lights, including snowflakes and candy canes. Other decorations include a heard of six reindeer, Santa Claus in a balloon, three bears, two large nutcrackers, two Christmas trees, an angel and more. The lights are on from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. daily.