here’s a little stroll down candy cane lane to cheer your holiday—from our neighborhood to yours. this is the view from our front porch across the street to our neighbor bret’s house.
bret always puts in a standout performance as “best decorator” on our block
this year’s display is truly fairy-tale quality, from frosty the snowman
with a bower of lights and christmas balls overhead
to mr and mrs santa claus snow people
to a magical candy-cane lane
gaze upward from there past the tree and presents toward the house
garlanded with all manner of lights and santa claus himself (who will dance if you talk to him!)
trellises of lights bow over the walkway and steps to the front door
and this is the view from our office window—as cheerful and bright as can be; we’re lucky to have bret as a neighbor.
by comparison, this is the view he gets from across the street to our house
slightly less exuberant, i’ll admit, but we try (and we wouldn’t want to take away his thunder).
happy holidays!
(ps: i finished the big secret project last night, yay!)
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35 Comments »
Wowie!! And a white Christmas, too!!
Merry, merry Christmas Anne and David!! Wishing you all the best this holiday season!!
xo, Gail
p.s. Can’t wait to see that big secret project! Kudos for finishing it up in time!!
There’s something to be said for minimalism!
Marry Christmas to you both.
How super…for both of you! Merry Christmas to you and David and your family!!
Merry Christmas!
I think you should design some lovely fairisle Christmas socks for Bret!
I’m glad you have someone in your neighborhood who does this – I live in a very small coastal village in Maine and up until this year we had someone at the end of Main St who went all out like this (including a huge Santa snowglobe with floating snow!). When you came down the hill and into town, there it all was – all lit up and festive – like a Christmas greeting to all who visit. The owners have moved away, and now it’s so dark until you get right into the middle of town (not that it’s that far – Main St is barely a tenth of a mile) where the village green is all lit up. So pretty.
Still, I miss seeing that house all decorated and lit up. You could just tell from year to year how much time, energy and creativity the homeowner put into the display. It was just so personal and lovely. *sigh*
Happy Holidays, Anne!
We have a house in town that does this for every holiday – next will be Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, etc. We just refer to it as “the over-decorated house.” I have to admit, it makes everyone smile when they drive by!
Ho!Ho!Ho! I guess Santa won’t be able to miss your neighborhood! Merry Christmas and all the best for a Happy and Healthy New Year.
i am always amazed at the amount of time bret puts into his displays – very festive!
have a great holidays!
Merry Christmas to you and yours Anne! May the New Year bring you much happiness, peace and joy!
Wishing you a Blessed Christmas! Thank you for your blog!
I know they’re tacky… but I always get excited when I drive by the uber-decorated houses. I guess it makes me feel like a little kid again.
Best wishes to you and David for a very Merry Christmas!
happy holidays
MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS ANNE
-hope you and DAVID have a great one —and much joy and fiber in the new year
yours in knitting —-pat
Merry Christmas, Anne, to you and David. I hope your holidays are filled with joy.
Merry, Merry Christmas to you Anne and David. Thanks for all the fun you have provided me this year!
Here is to a new year filled with warmth and fiber!
You promised to show us Bret’s house and by golly you came through (you always do!). Hope you avoid the ice we’re getting here near Chicago. And also hoping to meet you at one of the fiber festivals in the New Year. Peace to you + yours.
Merry Christmas!
I love the pictures of Bret’s house!
Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday and peace and joy in the new year!
Merry Christmas, Anne and David. What a pretty display of both of your homes.
Congrats for getting the secret project done — can’t wait to see it.
Thank you for all the good things (reading your blog, pictures — both yours and David’s, and, of course, your wonderful designs) that you have provided me this year and looking forward to 2010.
Merry Christmas to you and David…..may your day be peaceful and joyous!
merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! (And Happy Day Off to those who don’t celebrate.)
I loved seeing Bret’s house. It made me feel
all warm inside. Thank you for all the help
you have given me and for your wonderful
pictures and patterns. I hope you and
David have a wonderful holiday season.
Merry Christmas. Wow – that house is really something!
all our neighbors get are the lights of our tree through the window.
i’m admittedly too lazy to put up lights, because if you put them up, it means you have to take them down.
merriest of merries, anne and david!
Every block or neighborhood needs one brightly lit or “over-decorated” house. It’s that wonderful enthusiasm for lights at a dark time of year that makes everyone smile. Plus, if you haven’t had time or energy to put up many lights yourself, then your neighbor has performed a community service of sorts.
Go lights!!!
Merry Christmas!
Wow! Bret’s house is awesome. My daughter would love it. Congrats on finishing the secret project! Happy Holidays!
I think I like your stately display, sometimes less is more. Not that your neighbors display isn’t wonderful, it is!
Understated and elegant–that’s the way to go. Happy New Year!
Merry Christmas!
Wow! I wonder what it feels like the day after Christmas knowing you have to take all that down and store it somewhere…
But, it is fun to see!
It is true. Houses like that really exist. *thuds*
Your house is really nice decorated. Elegant and christmassy. I like it. Merry Christmas! (It’s Christmas today, too…)
I hope it was a wonderful day for you! Your neighbor certainly brings joy to the block.
There’s a lot to be said of simple elegance.
We once lived across the street from one of those brightly decorated houses. Our current neighbors do a swell job, but it is not the same.
Your little trees are lit up nicely. They need to be flanking your front door and something else lighted, maybe a pair of Japansese Maple (?) should take their place.
I just love the classic lines of you house. You are a lucky girl.
Wow! It’s like Christmas on steroids or something! Nice of you to tone it down so as not to steal his thunder, heh.