Temperatures may be rising daily, but for one Tillatoba family, it’s Christmas in July.
Sheila Hunter and Brian Tedford love decorating for the holidays — particularly Halloween and Christmas — but their love for cheering up their neighbors and passing motorists has extended into summer.
“We love decorating for every holiday or holidays we make up,” Hunter said with a laugh. “We are known as the yard that always has lights up, especially at Christmas and Halloween.”
The couples Christmas in July lights are located at 23174 Hwy. 51 N. just past Hardy Road. They are lit up from 8 p.m. until midnight every day, weather permitting. The decorations include Santa Claus in his flamingo tube float, Frosty ready to “Hang 10” on his surfboard, a decorated palm tree and more.
Frosty stands tall waving to motorists propped up on his surfboard.
“We placed first at Persimmon Hill camping this past Halloween,” Hunter, who is also encouraged to decorate by her daughter, Ainslee Hunter Riales, continued. “It was our first time to camp on their Halloween contest weekend and we didn’t know until we got there, so we came home and started hauling our decorations out of our yard on a trailer to the camp site. We dressed up as Michael Myers and a scarecrow. We felt so honored when they brought us the first-place trophy. It’s voted by people’s choice.”
As for why the family works so hard to decorate — it’s simple — passion.
“We decorate our yard because we love it,” Hunter concluded. “Now we feel that we will let people, especially kids, down if we don’t.”
The decorations will be up through July 31.
