NEWS
It鈥檚 the lights before Christmas and all around the house...
Local families say community is the driver for the displays, some of which include tens of thousands of lights
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In a sea of twinkling Christmas lights, it was the motion of a light-decorated miniature Ferris wheel that enamored Natalee Maxwell鈥檚 1-year-old daughter, Lilia, as the two perused a residential Christmas display in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 last week.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a family tradition,鈥� said Maxwell, who grew up in the Hoffmantown neighborhood, home to the Bugg house.
鈥淣ow, my daughter gets to experience it,鈥� Maxwell said as she watched Lilia鈥檚 amazement at the display. 鈥淲hen you have a baby鈥� you're kind of seeing the world through her eyes.鈥�
Maxwell is one of several sa国际传媒官网网页入口 residents who flock to the Bugg house, located at 2233 Hoffman NE, every year during the Christmas season to observe the home鈥檚 over-the-top light display, which includes roughly 100,000 lights, 50 penguin figurines, arch-covered walkways and several mechanical pieces, according to resident Jared Bugg.
Bugg鈥檚 grandparents 鈥� Norman Bugg, who died in 2018, and Joyce Bugg 鈥� started their elaborate decorations in 1971.
鈥淚t has always been for the community,鈥� said Jared Bugg, who serves as a caregiver for his grandmother and his father, Nate Bugg. 鈥淚t's always been to give back to the people that can't afford lights or just don't have the time, so they can drive by and just see the Christmas lights.鈥�
It took the Buggs four weeks to put together this year鈥檚 display, which will stay lit through New Year鈥檚 Eve. The display shines bright from dusk through 10 p.m. but will run through midnight on Christmas Eve.
The Bugg house isn鈥檛 the only residential property in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 sporting extreme Christmas spirit.
If you cruise 10 minutes north to 6701 Harper NE, you鈥檒l find a collection of 167 Christmas inflatables that homeowner Gerald Lujan has spent 19 years creating.
鈥淓very year it gets bigger and bigger,鈥� Lujan said.
This year鈥檚 number, up from 134 inflatables last year, might be his limit, he said with a laugh.
It all started with a single Winnie the Pooh inflatable, which the family discovered stolen on Christmas Eve one year. Lujan hit the store the next day to find the holiday inflatables on sale, prompting him to buy a few and ignite a nearly two-decade tradition.
Lujan鈥檚 display takes about a month to complete and is up from November through Martin Luther King Jr. weekend in January. The display is lit up all night on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and for about five hours after dusk on a normal day.
The most expensive inflatable in Lujan鈥檚 collection costs about $300 but in honor of the first trip that started it all, Lujan waits until after Christmas to buy them at half off.
With his kids mostly grown and out of the house, Lujan said it鈥檚 primarily the community that motivates the spirited effort, he said.
鈥淚 get a lot of notes in the mailbox thanking me, and I do it for all those people,鈥� Lujan said. 鈥淚t makes me feel good that people get some joy out of it.鈥�
For Tammy Melloy, it鈥檚 the pure 鈥渓ove of Christmas鈥� that inspires her and her husband鈥檚 extra jolly display at 8208 Northridge NE.
The Melloys started the display, now featuring more than 50,000 lights and 47 inflatables, when they got married 24 years ago.
Melloy joked the display has cost the pair 鈥減robably too much鈥� over the years 鈥� but as self-described 鈥淐hristmas-aholics,鈥� Melloy said she and her husband derive as much joy from the display as the community does.
The Melloys also use the display as a chance to do some good.
Melloy had breast cancer two years ago, inspiring her to incorporate a donation bin for breast cancer patients into the display. Last year, Melloy collected 80 blankets, which she donated to friends who make chemo care bags. This year, she鈥檚 collecting beanies and mittens.
The Melloys鈥� display goes up after Halloween, usually shining from 5-11 p.m. The display remains on all night during Christmas Eve and New Year鈥檚 Eve and comes down in January.
Figuring out where to plug things in without blowing a breaker is a yearly challenge. But Melloy鈥檚 cancer diagnosis has put some things into perspective and deepened her joy for the holiday season.
鈥淚 just love it 鈥� it warms my heart,鈥� Melloy said. 鈥淲hen you hear, 鈥榊ou have cancer,鈥� you鈥檙e like, you know what? I appreciate it more.鈥�
Maxwell said she appreciates the yearly efforts of homeowners like the Buggs and the memorable experiences their displays offer sa国际传媒官网网页入口 families.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just the pure joy of the season," Maxwell said, "and getting people to enjoy the simple things.鈥�
Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.
