Tradition often means everything in a small town.
When St. Joseph’s Lacey Smith moved to the Willowdale Subdivision in 2015, she knew she had found home.
“We’re a pretty tight knit group: we like to have bonfires at each other’s houses, Halloween Parties for the kids; last summer I hosted a backyard VBS for the neighbor kids, so we already have a good community built,” Smith said.
But the lore of the subdivision coming together for Christmas was something that had been part of Smith’s vision for four years.
“I had heard rumors that this subdivision used to decorate quite a bit for Christmas, so I’ve always kind of had it in the back of my mind as something I wanted to do,” Smith said. “In the fall of 2019 my husband and I were hosting some of the neighbors in our backyard for a bonfire and I casually brought it up. Everyone was very excited and it has taken off from there.”
Over the last year, nearly 20 families have prepared for the “Willowdale Winter Wonderland” that will begin on Dec. 4 and be lit until New Year.
“We all are doing something different,” Smith said. “From snowmen, to light up kickball fields, to icicle lights, to candy canes, we should have it all.”
The neighbors have even pitched in for those who feel like they can’t participate this year.
“We’ve had a few residents that have expressed they aren’t able to put up lights, and we are just offering to help them,” she said.
For the Willowdale, it’s about providing the St. Joseph community with the same love that the neighbors share throughout the year.
“We want to spread Christmas cheer,” Smith said. “This year especially, there has been a lot of disappointment for people, so our hope is to give them some joy this season. We want families to be able to have something to experience together this season, and we hope for years to come. If all goes well, this will be one of many years for Willowdale Winter Wonderland; the neighborhood wants to keep building on this and make it bigger and better every year.”
Adding to the excitement, Smith said that the group has been in touch with the North Pole, and is optimistic that Santa might come to the subdivision to pass out candy canes.
“I heard he might bring some of his elves too! We have some other ideas up our sleeve, but we want to see how everything turns out first before we make any announcements,” Smith said.
In a year of one disappointment after another, planning the subdivision-wide Christmas lighting has helped Smith see just how amazing the St. Joseph and surrounding communities are.
“I love how one act of kindness can encourage others to do the same. I hope this will spark others to find a way to give back this Holiday season,” she said.
