Residents go all out in annual home decorating contest
Gilroy – Mike Osler started repainting his “nine ladies dancing,” for the Holiday Home Decorating Contest in July. The wooden figures are 4-feet tall and take three hours to handpaint.
Osler has participated in the contest for the past five years, and built all 130 wooden figurines for the 12 Days of Christmas display at his Lexington Place home by hand. Santa and his eight tiny reindeer aren’t so tiny after all. Santa weighs 100 pounds and requires the assistance of Osler’s brother to secure him on the rooftop. The reindeer alone are 4-feet by 3-feet each.
To hold the figurines ,Osler built a specially reinforced storage unit atop his garage.
“It started with my ex. She was really into Christmas. I almost stopped when she left, but I’m too involved now,” Osler said. “I had some woman drop by last night who said she has been every year since it started.”
The ham radio operator has coordinated his light displays with music timed within a hundredth of a second. The scene is set to a selected seven songs Osler broadcasts on 89.5 FM radio up to a mile away.
“It’s a play on words. If you listen to the music and the words you’ll understand why I light everything when I do,” he explained. “I enjoy watching people’s reactions. It’s fun to watch people get it.”
Three sizes of wooden bells decorate the lawn for the carol of the bells. They weigh about 20 pounds and are outlined by 400 lights.
“I have no idea how many lights are on the reindeer. I do know that if the bells and the reindeer are on at the same time that I’ll blow the current,” Osler said. “My only limit is the size of my yard.”
Each year he has tried to add something to the 60-foot by 20-foot space. This year’s contributions were mechanical. His PC crashed forcing him to build a back up system.
“You’re not going to find a lot of plastic here. I didn’t go down to Orchard (Hardware) and buy this stuff,” Osler said.
He won third place last year and is just one of several homes competing for the title this year. The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce sponsors the annual event. Judging is based upon originality, creativity, materials and design by members of representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, HMH Engineering, Theater Angels Art League and the Public Art Committee for the City of Gilroy.
“It’s just something fun for the holidays,” said Susan Valenta, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce.
The last day to sign up is Dec. 12. The contest be held Dec. 14 between 6 and 10pm. Cash prizes will be awarded. Pick up an entry form at the Chamber of Commerce, 7471 Monterey St., visit the city’s Web site at www.gilroy.org or call 842-6437.
