Christmas spirit is easy to come by, but once the holiday season is launched every year, it becomes apparent that there are those with spirit, and then there are those who let that spirit shine.

The City of Washington announced its Spirit of Christmas winners this week. The awards are handed out to those home- and business-owners who decorate in an attention-grabbing way, one judges feel embodies the true spirit of Christmas. Prizes consist of credits to the winners’ Washington Utilities accounts.

The awards are divided up into four categories: businesses inside Washington’s historic district; businesses outside the historic district; homes inside the historic district; and homes outside the historic district. The judges remain anonymous, but evenings between Dec. 19 and Dec. 23, they drove around town, searching for this year’s winners.

Interesting enough, most of the winners had no idea the contest was going on, much less that they were entered into the city’s Spirit of Christmas contest by default. Instead, this year’s winners are a group of people who spend time, energy and money on decorating simply because they love to do so.

At Linda’s Flowers (first place, business outside historic district), the large windows of the shop are rimmed with lights, and just inside the door, a life-size Santa Claus awaits and Christmas balls the owners have collected over the years hang in the windows. Outside, tomato cages are wrapped in garland and concrete traffic barriers are remade into candy canes. For co-owner Debbie Rouse, the Spirit of Christmas award was a surprise.

“We didn’t even know that they were doing it anymore,” Rouse laughed. “We do it because we love Christmas. We decorate our homes just like we do the shop.”

For historic district resident Gerri McKinley (second place), decorating is about tradition, one passed down through several generations of her family. McKinley lives in the house in which she grew up on East Main Street, so decorating with the enthusiasm of past generations comes naturally, she said.

“I know I got it from my mother,” McKinley said. “I decorate every room from the bathroom to the kitchen. … I love it. I just love Christmas. … I just love when you pull out call your stuff and you see what you had from years past.”

McKinley decorates in keeping with the age of the house, with red, green and gold, and white lights to show it all off. She loves real trees — she has four of them — and has everything on timers, so when she pulls into her driveway after work, the house is already lit. The love for Christmas décor is a family tradition she’s passed on to the next generation.

“I don’t have a big family or anything — we don’t have a huge group — but I have infected my two sons,” McKinley laughed.

On the other side of the historic district, Tom Dear (first place, historic district) puts up a festive display that centers on a nativity scene and accompanying angels, that spreads across the Dears’ front yard and up the front porch — the entire yard is immersed in light. It’s an annual project, but it also serves a different purpose for Dear.

“After working 12 hours a day, five days a week, this is my creative outlet,” Dear said. “I love the color and the creativity and the fact that other people enjoy watching it.”

In Smallwood, Dennis Grieve (second place, outside historic district) decorates the home he shares with his wife, Marilyn, not for themselves, but for the smallest Christmas elves.

“To be honest, years ago when we moved to Washington in 1985, we decided that we wanted to decorate the house more with a kids’ theme, but have it still be nice,” Grieve said. “We just do it, even though we’re old people, we do it with a lighthearted spirit and always have. Because Christmas is for the kids.”

Boasting snowmen, including the abominable type, Snoopy, Elmo and more, the Grieves’ home is a wonderland of Christmas characters.

On West Ninth Street, Rosa Whitley (first place, outside historic district) decorates the home she shares with husband Alan, because she wants to share the greater message of Christmas — a display that has won a Spirit of Christmas award for three years in a row.

“I love it. I do it every year. I do it for the spirit of Christmas, so everybody knows what I believe in,” Whitley said.

And that’s the birth of Christ. For the past 15 years, Whitley’s Christmas display has grown, because, to her, those shining lights represent a personal display of belief in the true meaning of Christmas.

“I just wish everybody did it, that more would show the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of Christ,” Whitley said. “(It’s a) beautiful light; a beautiful holiday season.”

 

 

2015 Spirit of Christmas awards

 

Business Inside the Historic District

First place

Oasis Salon and Spa, 106 W. Main St.

Second place

Take 2 Computing, 100 N. Bridge St.

Honorable Mention

Stewart’s Jewelry, 121 N. Market St.

 

Business Outside the Historic District

First place

Linda’s Flowers and Gifts, 104 E. 15th St.

Second place

Golden Corral, 1424 Carolina Ave.

 

Residential Inside the Historic District

First place

Tom and Judy Dear, 744 W. Second St.

Second place

Gerry McKinley, 405 E. Main St.

 

Residential Outside the Historic District

First place

Alan and Rosa Whitley, 405 W. Ninth St.

Second place

Dennis and Marilyn Grieve, 107 N. Eden Drive