SANTA ROSA, Calif. — Untangling Christmas lights as he’s done for the past 13 years, Mark Gibbons said he and his wife Leslie love decorating their house and being part of the magic that turns his street into Christmas Tree Lane.
“More than anything it’s just about giving joy to people, making people happy,” Gibbons said. “That’s the whole point of Christmas.”
The tradition of turning three small streets in Santa Rosa into Christmas Tree Lane has been happening since the late ‘50s, Gibbons said.
One house for decades has even been festively celebrating one of the city’s most famous former residents, “Peanuts” creator Charles Schultz.
The Christmas tradition, Gibbons added, is becoming synonymous with the community.
“Most people who grew up in Santa Rosa know this area as Christmas Tree Lane,” he said. “If you say to somebody where do you live in Santa Rosa, you say, ‘I live on Christmas Tree Lane,’ they know what you mean.”
Gibbons said to help keep the tradition authentic, anybody that moves into the neighborhood is past on front yard decorations from previous owners.
His wooden Santa cut-out is believed to have been made in the ‘60s.
An apt hammy down as gibbons has also become the lane’s honorary Santa, who hands out just a few candy canes to passersby.
“Typically, now we give out somewhere between 2,000 to 3,000 candy canes,” Gibbons said. “Just little ones, not the big ones.”
The decorations, Gibbons said, take a day to put up, to help turn his front yard into a winter wonderland. That doesn’t take long to attract viewers like Katie Forsman and her two sons, Reece and Finn.
“They have the greatest lights ever,” Finn An apt hammy down as gibbons has also become the lane’s honorary Santa, who hands out just a few candy canes to passersby.
“Typically, now we give out somewhere between 2,000 to 3,000 candy canes,” Gibbons said. “Just little ones, not the big ones.”
The decorations, Gibbons said, take a day to put up, to help turn his front yard into a winter wonderland. That doesn’t take long to attract viewers like Katie Forsman and her two sons, Reece and Finn.
“They have the greatest lights ever,” said Finn.
“They do have the greatest lights ever,” Katie agreed.
A compliment Gibbons said he’s humbled by and why he loves to don his Santa suit and give back.
“They know Santa’s going to be here. I’m pretty well known for that. So, looking forward to it, it’ll be fun,” he said.
It’s that fun and effort that keeps Christmas Tree Lane alive, Gibbons said, and part of the holiday tradition in Santa Rosa
“They do have the greatest lights ever,” Katie agreed.
A compliment Gibbons said he’s humbled by and why he loves to don his Santa suit and give back.
“They know Santa’s going to be here. I’m pretty well known for that. So, looking forward to it, it’ll be fun,” he said.
It’s that fun and effort that keeps Christmas Tree Lane alive, Gibbons said, and part of the holiday tradition in Santa Rosa.