Our Home Holidays 11

Holiday LightsThe Reason

Behind the SeasonGifts for Seniors

Creating MemoriesMike and Judy Cox

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Holiday Lights Brighten Spirits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4The Reason Behind the Season Comes to Life . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Gifts Grandparents will Appreciate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Places to Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-13Time to Think about Decorations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Creating Memories that Last a Lifetime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Mike and Judy Cox Light Up Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

OURHOMEHolidays

20112nd Edition

Published byThe Lebanon Democrat

402 N. Cumberland StreetLebanon, Tennessee

Publisher

Joseph H. Adams

Managing Editor

Amelia Morrison Hipps

Advertising Director

Roger Wells

Marketing Specialists

Jackie BrownLeslie ClarkCathy Wair

Art Director

Mark Rodgers

Assistant Graphic Designer

Pam Wingett

Contributing WritersBonnie Bucy

Sandy CampbellLaurie EverettSabrina GarrettMary Hinds

PhotographyDallus Whitfield

PUBLISHED LOCALLY

Our Home Wilson County, published annually byThe Lebanon Democrat, is distributed throughthe circulation of The Lebanon Democrat, anewspaper with a readership of more than39,000 daily, the Lebanon-Wilson County Cham-ber of Commerce, the Wilson County JointEconomic and Community Development Board,and Middle Tennessee Electric MembershipCooperative. The magazine is also provided toparticipating advertisers and is placed in localbusinesses and professional offices.

Cover Photo byDallus Whitfield

Don Nixon works on lights at the JamesE. Ward Agricultural Center as staffmembers start preparing for theFestival of Lights in early October

Contents Page Photoby Dallus Whitfield

Front lawn of Chad’s Winter Wonderland

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4 O U R H O M E H O L I D AY S 2 0 11

“It was the best of times, it was the worst oftimes.” Charles Dickens must have been talkingabout the holidays.

It is the one time of year when your in-laws com-ing to town coincides with your kids being out ofschool and what used to resemble your life has goneMIA.

So many people to entertain, so little time, right?Luckily, Wilson County offers three spectacularChristmas pastimes sure to please the entire family.

The Festival of LightsBeginning Friday, Nov. 25, the James E. Ward

Agricultural Center will be transformed into the 15thannual Festival of Lights.

“It is a beautiful drive-thru light display aroundthe Ag Center and Fiddlers Grove,” Lebanon-WilsonChamber of Commerce CEO Sue Vanatta said of thethousands of lights, scenes and animation.

“This year it is going to be bigger and better,” she

Story by

SABRINAGARRETT

Photos by

DALLUSWHITFIELD

The brighly lit Dedman’s Store seen in Fiddler’s Grove duringFestival of Lights in 2010.

Holiday LightsBrighten Spirits

O U R H O M E H O L I D AY S 2 0 11 5

said. “We are changing the route.We are adding a lot ofnew displays and a lot of new animation.”

The price is $5 per car, said Vanatta, adding thatit is a lot of bang for your buck.

“It doesn’t matter if you have one person in thecar or 10 people in the car ... It is a good way to startthe holiday season and a good way to end the holidayseason.”

The Festival of Lights will be held from 5-9 p.m.every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday eveningfrom Nov. 25 through December.

Chad’s Winter WonderlandChad Barnard has been decorating his home at

Christmastime since he was 12-years-old.“I just started as a kid because I’ve always enjoyed

Christmas. It just grew from there,” he said of openinghis property up as Chad’s Winter Wonderland drive-thru in 2000.

“I’ve got two million lights and 300 pieces ofscenery,” he said of the display, which takes threemonths to set up.

On average, Barnard sees 4,000 vehicles drive-thru his property from the Thanksgiving nightopening to the Dec. 30 close.

“They come from everywhere. I’ve had some drivefrom Mississippi and Alabama to see it,“ he said.

Barnard said he has added a special surprise forguests this year – a drive-thru nativity scene with liveanimals. “I’m adding some new scenery,” he said.

Chad’sWinterWonderland is located at 791 E OldLaguardo Rd. The price is $10 per car.

Chad Barnard shares a laugh with Kris Kringle during a visit to Santa’s House, a special feature at Chad’s Winter Wonderland.

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For more information visitchadswinterwonderland.com.

ChristmasLandBro. Kenneth Bowen’s Christ-

masLand has grown from a familyhobby to a tribute to the birth of Jesus.

“I started doing this when my old-est grandboy was born. I have alwaysloved Christmas,” Bowen said. “Thenthe Lord spoke tome and said ‘It is timeto keep my son’s birthday alive’ ... I doeverything to uphold His birthday.”

The Unity Church minister saidChristmasland, located at his home at1130 Trousdale Ferry Pike, is decorat-

ed in both traditional and biblicalChristmas decor.

“The religious stuff is in the frontyard and in the back there is more tra-ditional stuff,” he said. “We are proudof it – our theme this year is ‘Let HisLight Shine in Wilson County’.”

ChristmasLand opens Friday,Nov. 18 and runs until the day afterChristmas. “Once Christmas is over, itis over,” he said.

However, Bowen makes surefolks have plenty of opportunities toexperience ChristmasLand in lateNovember and December.

“I’m going to have 800 pieces up

this time,” Bowen said. “When you gothrough the ordeal of putting [thelights and displays] up – why turn itoff? We are open [weekly] Sunday-Thursday, from 5-9 p.m. andFriday-Satruday, from 5-10 p.m.”

There is no charge to visit Christ-masLand, but donations are accepted.“We have a donation box, but if youdon’t have any money that is fine. Wearen’t in it for the money.We get somesponsors in Lebanon to help with thelight bill and they have always donegood,” Bowen said. “Any money col-lected buys new lights and displays fornext year.”

As the sun begins to set, Bro. Kenneth Bowen starts flipping switches to light the hundreds of lighted features that create ChristmasLand.

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My Uncle Ernestwas a delightful manwith a great since ofhumor ... but the old fel-low - he was the familypatriarch - was impossi-ble to shop for atChristmas time.

He had his owntaste in books, thankyou. He didn’t need anymore clothes, thank you.And any toiletry productwas “body polish” thatyou knew would eitherbe regifted or tossed outas soon as the familyreunion was over.

As for offering hintsof gifts he might like?Forget it, that would“spoil the surprise.”

Sound familiar?Shopping for granddad orgrandmother or your own“Uncle Ernest” can beenough of a challenge thatit may take some of the joyout of the holiday season.True enough, it is better to givethan to receive, but it is also truethat giving something the receiv-er doesn’t want or need is afrustration that happens to too manygivers every holiday, perhaps especiallyat Christmas.

But thanks to a panel of volunteergift councilors at the Lebanon SeniorCenter, help is on the way. Asked whatthey think they would enjoy receivingthis year, the seven women and twomen, ranging in age from 60 to 105,offered some suggestions:

Gift cards. Although there is awidespread notion that gift cards areimpersonal and show little fore-thought, the panel was unanimous insaying these are great gifts.

“Let us buy something we want tobuy,” was one comment. Anotherchimed in to say, “We know better thanthey do what we need, so the cards area wonderful idea.”

Dinner at a restaurant withfamily members. It’s not just anevening on the town, its a chance totalk with loved ones and no one has toworry about the hassle of fixing dinner.

Airplane tickets. “Every time I

visit my son, he buys the plane tickets.Sure it would be a good gift for anyoneat Christmas or any other time.”

While this particular suggestion

only applies to sons anddaughters who havemoved far away, there areobvious local options.The Music City Star, forexample, heads west withstops in Mt. Juliet andNashville, if that’s wherethe kinfolk are.

Flowers. “We enjoygetting flowers on Valen-tine’s Day and Mother’sDay, so why not atChristmas?” asked onewoman. Another saidshe liked the idea ofbeing told, “Look on theporch. There’s a packagefor you.” One womanwas philosophical aboutflowers as a gift. “Give‘em flowers before theydie. Let them enjoy them,too.”Tickets to a play or

concert.Yes, this particulargift would require a prettygood knowledge of whatsorts of entertainment thesenior would enjoy.Vacation or a trip to Las

Vegas. The question was, “Whatwould you like to get for Christ-

mas?” So if you can afford to give sucha gift, be assured that it would be veryappreciated.

Trinkets from the Dollar Tree.For some, the joy of opening packageson Christmas morning is more specialthan the gifts themselves. Obviouslythis idea wouldn’t work for the seniorwhowas hoping for that Las Vegas trip.

House cleaning. This one got astrong response. Having someone dothe household chores once – or a fewtimes – would extend the joy of theholidays.

Very personal gifts. A leafblower, a generator and a band sawwere mentioned as all-time favorites,because the gift givers knew whatthey needed. The band saw, forexample, allowed a tole painter to bemore creative.

But if there was one gift thatseemed to get everyone’s vote it wasthis: “Just having my family all togeth-er. That’s the best Christmas presentthere is.”

Gifts Grandparentswill Appreciate

Story and Illustration by

SANDY CAMPBELL

To perceiveChristmas

through its wrappingbecomes more

difficultwith every year.

–E.B.White,"TheDistantMusic of the Hounds,"


Amid the hustle and bustle of Yuletide festivitiesin the community, a reverent and realistic experienceis offered to those who wish to gain perspective andfocus on Christ as the reason for the season.

The simplistic beauty of a live nativity depictingthe birth of Christ is a favorite holiday tradition forsome, and Silver Springs Baptist Church in Mt. Julietexpands this tradition into an unforgettable produc-tion.

On the nights of Wednesday-Saturday, Nov. 30and Dec. 1-3, the little town of Bethlehem will comealive in the heart of Mt. Juliet at the church onLebanon Road. Attendees will be transported back tothe night Jesus was born.

Complex in its simplicity, the event is the antithe-sis of "over the top" Christmas commercialism and amust for those whowish to experience the true mean-ing of Christmas.

For the 17th year in a row, the dramatic produc-tion "In Bethlehem Inn" will take place at the church

Story by

LAURIEEVERETT

Photos submitted by

SILVER SPRINGSBAPTIST CHURCH

The ReasonBehind the Season

Comes to Life

Annalise Wood (left) and Sarah BethMoore make bread during the productionIn Bethlehem Inn. Their part takes placein the Marketplace. The dinner playretells the night Jesus was born.


under the direction of Cathy Postell. A cast of 50 will portraywhat it may have been like to be a guest in Bethlehem thatholy night.

"We think of this as a gift to the community," saidPostell. "We do it early in the season because we think it's agreat way to kick off the Christmas season and focus onChrist."

She said after Thanksgiving people think about shop-ping and checking off the Christmas list or going to Christmasparties.

"It's just really good to have something to help us refo-cus onwhat's important, like about God's ultimate gift to us,”she said. “It puts gift giving in a different perspective."

As far as Postell knows, this production is the only oneof its kind in Middle Tennessee. She said many come for thefirst time and others have made it a family tradition. Theevent has grown over the years from a simple play to a majorproduction that includes a large marketplace scene and livenativity with goats, sheep and donkeys.

Last year, nearly 500 people took a respite from the hol-iday rush to take part in the spiritual production.

The nativity scene is a favorite of some and will takeplace outside. Those who attend have a chance to become apart of the cast when they visit this holy depiction.

The play allows attendees to step back in time withauthentic costumes and the sights, sounds and smells of whatit was like back then. Participants, as they tour the market-place, will come across census takers, potters, bakers and oilmerchants.

Also, during the Inn scene, visitors will be served anauthentic Palestinian meal, during which Mary and Joseph In the Marketplace, Sherry Blackwell portrays a cloth seller.

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1 0 O U R H O M E H O L I D AY S 2 0 11

knock on the door and will be turned away.Postell said churchmembers have been preparing for

the play for months, building and painting props, gather-ing animals, making costumes and pouring over recipes.

Kevin Ethridge is a longtime resident of Mt. Julietand has participated in Bethlehem Inn for a number ofyears in various roles. This year he is taking on the roleof the innkeeper.

"I've been going to Silver Springs my entire life," hesaid. "I have a new part this year after playing servantZack."

Ethridge said he enjoys preparing and acting in theplay each year as Christmas comes around.

"I think it sorta gets us ready for what Christmas isall about, and we have so much fun as a cast," he said.

Ethridge is humble when he talks about his actingability.

"Well, to call us all actors is a bit of a stretch," he saidwith a smile. "But there is a rush of excitement as the playdates approach. And as amateurs I will say we do slip upfrom time to time. It's just fun to do and the play does hasquite a bit of humor in it at times."

His daughter helps him run his lines as they gatheraround the dinner table. He noted the only time the livenativity did not take place outside was when the temper-atures plunged into the single digits.

Mt. Juliet Middle School teacher Jennifer Johnsonand her fiancewill take part in the play together this year.She joined Silver Springs three years ago and this is thesecond year for her to act in the play.

While she's a pro at teaching seventh and eighthgrade math, she's emerging as a fine actress as well. Sheplays Beth, a faithful servant. Part of her role is greetingthe guests that come to Bethlehem Inn. She is in chargeof washing their hands in a basin of water as they enterthe Inn. (There is hand sanitizer for those who preferthis method.) She and soon-to-be-husband Josh havebeen practicing their parts for two and a half months andwere pleased the play's timing is one week before theirwedding.

"Yes, we felt it was so important we squeezed it inwith all the wedding planning!" she said. "I attended theplay every year before I joined the church. I wentwithmyfamily, and we thought it was such a departure from theother plays out there with Santa and jingles bells. Thisfocuses on the birth of Christ. This is the reason for theseason."

She noted that guests that come to the Inn are actu-al participants in the play.

"We feed you, and we will ask if you've paid yourtaxes," she said. "Some people really get into it and actalong with us."

The play takes over an hour."It's really a dinner theater," she noted. "Some peo-

ple come year after year and others are new and it's fun tosee their yes light up. They are always so surprised whenthe food comes out."

This year guests will be served soup, fruits, vegeta-bles and cheese. Grape juice andwaterwill also be served.

The cast is ready to relive the momentous night forthose who decide to attend.

There is no charge for admission, however, reserva-tions are a must. They can be made by calling 641-0280.The church is located at 9938 LebanonRoad inMt. Juliet.Performances areWednesday-Saturday, Nov. 30 and Dec.1-3, at 6:30 p.m. with an additional performance on Dec.3 at 4 p.m.

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Attendees of In Bethlehem Inn will stroll through the Marketplaceon their way to the Inn. They will run across Beverly Birdsong whoportrays a merchant selling glassware and pottery.

O U R H O M E H O L I D AY S 2 0 11 1 1

Wrapping paper ends up in a landfill, but the Christmasmemories you make with your family last a lifetime. Whetherit is the annual road trip to visit relatives or making specialcookies for Santa, these parents know true joy comes fromtogetherness.

Creating Memoriesthat last a Lifetime“When we recall

Christmas past,we usually find thatthe simplest things

– not the great occasions –give off the greatestglow of happiness.”

—Bob Hope

Story by

SABRINA GARRETT


Annette StaffordCounty Commissioner

Annette Stafford’s familyventures to Gatlinburg, Tenn.,o celebrate Christmas every November.

Stafford said that with three children and eightgrandchildren, getting together on Dec. 25 is tricky.

“I am not a selfish in-law. I know my kids andgrandkids have to spend time with other parents –so we decided to do our Thanksgiving and Christ-mas at once,” she said of the family getaway. “Werent a chalet in Gatlinburg and stay for about fiveor six days.”

During their stay, Stafford said the womenshop for gifts and bond in the kitchen.

“One day the women cook and the next daythe men cook. We decorate the Christmas tree

and have a festive time,” she said.

Rob and Leah CesterninoRob and Leah Cesternino

take their children, Elizabethand Luca, to New York to visit relatives.

“We typically go there every year because[Rob’s] dad owns a farm, and they are so Christ-mas-oriented. We pile in the car and look at lights– you have to ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ when you seeChristmas lights,” Leah said.

But what about presents? Leah said the Ces-ternino family gets “really creative” when itcomes to gift giving. “It is not about the gifts – itis about how you wrap them. We do crazy thingslike put rocks in boxes to throw people off. We’vehad something small and put it in lots of boxes tomake it really big,” she said.

Sausage PieSubmitted by Leah Cesternino• 1 lb breakfast sausage• 1 package cream cheese softened(8 ounces)• 2 cans of crescent rolls• Spice/Herbs of your choice to taste (I alwaysuse Italian herbs because that is what we love)

Cook the sausage in a skillet on the stove topand drain. Mix together cream cheese, herbs andsausage for the filling. Using one can of crescentrolls, line the bottom of pie pan, fill pan withcream cheese mixture and then cover with thesecond can of crescent rolls. Bake at 350 forapprox. 20 minutes or as long as needed for toplayer of crescent rolls to cook completely through.Serve hot. Enjoy!

Jay WhiteJay White, of Lebanon,

said his family’s tradition is toread the Christmas story out of the Bible

“Every Christmas Eve, we all gather at myhouse and read about the birth of Jesus,” he said.“My father did it years ago and my brother doesit now. It is to remember the real reason forChristmas.”

Nano’s Homemade RollsSubmitted byMargaret Tuggle

• 1 cup shortening• 1/2 cup sugar• 2 tsp. salt• 1 cup boiling water• 2 eggs• 2 packages dry yeast• 1 cup warm water• 6 cups plain flour

Pour boiling water over shortening, sugar andsalt and beat until shortening is melted to luke-warm. Add eggs and beat well. Dissolve yeast inone cup of warm water; add to mixture and mixwell. Stir in flour. Cover and refrigerate overnight.Use any amount you desire and knead well. Makeinto rolls and let rise for two hours. Bake at 425degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Leah Cesternino with her youngest child, Luca, all dressed up forChristmas. Photo Courtesy of Leah Cesternino


Zack and Melissa CraigheadZack and Melissa Craighead

feel blessed to share this holidayseason with their daughter, Madison,2, and the newest member of their family – son,Miles, 4 months.

In Christmases past, the couple has enjoyed tak-ing the family to Opryland Hotel in Nashville to lookat lights, but plan to keep things closer to home astheir family grows.

“One thing I have done with Madison is makecookies for Santa. We make them and then I’ll sit herup on the counter to do the icing,” Melissa said ofbaking with her daughter under careful supervision.

On Christmas Eve, Melissa gives the childrenplates with their names on it to put the cookies out forSanta. “Then we pour him a cup of milk,” she said.

The Craigheads also love their Elf on the Shelf –a game where parents can hide an “elf“ assigned towatch over the family and report back to Santaaround the house.

“We named our little elf and let [Madison] lookfor that every morning,” Melissa said.

Aline KonatowskyAline Kornatowsky gives

her children, Alexia andAnthony, matching pajamas on thefirst day of December so that they can wear themall month long. “For all the special things we dolike baking cookies and opening presents, theywear their matching pajamas,” she said.

Joan ElmoreJoan Elmore, the five

time and reigning Women’sWorld Champion horseshoe pitcherand a renowned cook, shares a chocolate chipcookie recipe that is sure to please.

Chocolate Chip Cookie RecipeIngredients• 1 cup butter, softened• 1 cup white sugar• 1 cup packed brown sugar• 2 eggs• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract• 3 cups all-purpose flour• 1 teaspoon baking soda• 2 teaspoons hot water• 1/2 teaspoon salt• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees

C). Cream together the butter, white sugar, andbrown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs oneat a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve bakingsoda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt.Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop bylarge spoonfuls onto ungreased pans. Bake forabout 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or untiledges are nicely browned.

Julie WheelerJulie Wheeler of Mt. Juli-

et has passed down a traditionto her daughters, Whitney andAbby, that she enjoyed as a child.

“About a week before Christmas, we makesausage balls. I freeze them and then we eat themon Christmas morning. I cook a big breakfast foreveryone,” Wheeler said. “It goes back to whenmy brother and I were growing up. My mom haspictures of us rolling them and I’ve carried that onwith my daughters. Sausage balls are a must.”

Christmas Sausage BallsSubmitted by Julie Wheeler• 1 lb Tennessee Pride hot sausage• 1 lb Tennessee Pride mild sausage• 4 cups Bisquick• 16 oz package of sharp cheese

Mix together and roll into balls. Bake at 350degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned

Anthony and Alexia Kornatowsky are eager to find out what presentsthey got for Christmas. Photo courtesy of Aline Kornatowsky

Zack and Melissa Craighead, shown with daughter, Madison, 2, areexcited for baby Miles‘ first Christmas. Photo courtesy of Melissa Craighead


“You are invited to worship with us!GREEN HILL CHURCH

13251 Lebanon Rd. • (615) 758-7238Join us for our annual Thanksgiving Dinner, Wednesday night,

November 16th at 6:30 p.m. Please bring a side dish.Candle Light and Communion Service on Wednesday,

December 21 at 6:30p.m. Everyone welcome.Celebrate with us at our Christmas Eve Service,

Thursday, December 24, 6:30 p.m.

ReachingPeople...Touching

Lives

2905 N. Mt. Juliet Rd.615-754-6034

www.graceumc.net

facebook.com/GRACEmtjuliet

Join us this Christmas season!Hanging of the Greens & Open House - Nov. 27th - 7PM

Chancel Choir Christmas Caroling at Rutland Place - Dec. 7th - 6PMChildren’s Christmas Musical - Dec. 11th - 11AM

“One Incredible Moment” Christmas Cantata - Dec. 18th - 8:30 & 11AMCandlelight Christmas Eve Services - Dec. 24th - 5 & 11PMChristmas Day (kids can wear pajamas!) - Dec. 25th - 10AM

563 Shute Lane • Old Hickory, TN615-883-1856 • www.tgbc.orgDr. Gerald Bontrager, Pastor

CHRISTMAS SERVICESDec. 11 - 6 p.m.

“Hope is born Emmanuel” featuring theAdult Choir, Youth Choir, Children’s Choirs,

Orchestra, Handbells & SoloistsDec. 24 - 5 p.m.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Holiday SeasonSchedules & Services

Holiday SeasonSchedules & Services

Sunday Mornings, 9:00 & 10:30 am

1035 N. Mt Juliet Rd, Mt Juliet, TN 37122615-773-7862

Stoner Creek Elementary

9000 Stewarts Ferry Pike, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122615-444-9550 • gladevillechurch.org

Join us any Sunday for Worship Services at 9:15 am & 10:45 am

Join us for a Christmas CelebrationChristmas Eve Eve Services, December 23:

6:00 pm & 7:30 pmChristmas Day Service, December 25:

10:30 am


Sunday Worship 8:30 & 11Dec. 5, Children’s Musical, 5:00 pmDec. 18, Cantata with orchestra, 8:30 & 11Christmas Eve & Communion, 3:00 pmCandlelight/Communion, 5:00 & 11 pm

First United Methodist Church415 West Main St.Lebanon 37087615-444-3315

www.lebanonfumc.comJoin us on Facebook

(Lebanon First United Methodist)

402 East Forrest AvenueLebanon, TN 37087Ph: 615-547-4848

G. A. Wallace, Pastor

Join us for our annualThanksgiving Dinner:

Sunday, November 20th, 1PM

Celebration of Christmas:Christmas Banquet,

December 4th, at 5:30PM

December 7 Christmas Meal – 6:00 PM Call the church office to register.

December 24 Candle Light Service – 5:00 PMDecember 25 Christmas Worship Service – 10:00 AM

5860 Lebanon Road, Lebanon, TN613-4202 or 547-7729

"www.westhavenbaptistchurch.com

1401 Leeville Pk.Lebanon, TN 37090615-444-9502

www.collegehills.org

You’re invited to a...Thanksgiving Eve Service, Wednesday night,

November 23, 6:30 -7:30 PMSpecial meal and service.

Christmas Eve Candlelight service,Saturday, December 24, 11:30 PM

West Haven Baptist ChurchDr. Jonathan Richerson,

Pastor

See what’s happeningat these

Wilson CountyChurches!

See what’s happeningat these

Wilson CountyChurches!


It’s never too soon to start preparing for Christ-mas, especially if you are one of those people whopull out all the stops to decorate for the season.Locally and nationally there are new trends in dec-orating, and some old favorites that never go out ofstyle.

Artificial trees with or without built in lightsIn a time when more and more people, espe-

cially children, are allergic to real Christmas trees,one item that is a big seller every Christmas is arti-ficial trees. These trees have come a long way andtheir new, better appearance has made them morepopular than ever.

Investing in an artificial tree that will last foryears is a sound investment. They also have theadvantage of easy clean up assuring holiday revelersthey won’t be finding pine needles in their carpetsin July.

“They’re very popular,” confirmed K-MartAssistant Manager Richard McIntosh. “They like

Story by

MARY E. HINDS

Christmas is Coming

Time to ThinkDecorations


the ones that rotate – the actual tree rotates and theones with the bigger lights. We have ones this year thathave the C5 bulbs which are bigger than the regularbulbs. We also have trees that are different shades ofgreen and some that look like they have snow onthem.”

“The biggest thing for everybody for the last fewyears, and I suspect this year, will be the artificialtrees, because they are so much nicer than they used tobe. Depending on how much your willing to spend onthem,” said Home Depot Store Manager Joey Parch-man. “They have a wide price range from $100 tosome really nice several hundred dollar trees that ifyou didn’t know better looks like a tree.

“They have some now that are basically ready togo. Most of them are pre-lit, not all, but many ofthem. A lot also come with LED lights now so theydon’t use so much electricity and are not as much of afire hazard.”

Big Lots Assistant Manager Mary Raines said herstore is already well into the season.

“Right now, we are already selling a lot of Christ-mas,” she said. “The fastest thing we‘re selling rightnow are sets of two pack trees for outdoors. They’reartificial, four feet tall and already lit, so you just plugthem in.”

She said the standard artificial trees aren’t so stan-dard anymore.

“We have 11 different artificial trees. We have theones with lights and ones without lights,” Raines said.“I’ve gotten some really nice ones this year. Every yearthey improve the look of them.”

InflatablesAnother popular item for full-on decorators are

inflatable decorations. They range in size from some-things small to put on the front lawn to ones bigenough to awe the neighbors. Decorators can findSanta, Rudolph, elves or even the Grinch to make theiryards unique.

You can even find inflatable Santas, completewith a sleigh and reindeer to go on the roof. Whencombined with Christmas lights, your lawn can looklike Santa’s workshop.

Parchman said his store sells a number of inflat-able decorations. “They come and go in waves, but wesell quiet a few of them,” he said.

“They’re not as big as some of the other stuff,”McIntosh said. “We sell a lot of the animated things,the reindeers and we have Elmo among new ones thisyear. The yard stuff goes really fast. I get a little carriedaway with it.”

Raines noted that her store does a brisk businessin inflatables.

“We sell a lot of them,” she said. “We sell the real-ly large ones and the single ones.”

Figurines and lights“We still sell traditional ornaments and Christmas

figurines have been popular for the past few years,”Parchman noted. “We also sell of lot of lights, becausea lot of people still do live trees.

We have LED lights for them as well. They costmore, but with traditional lights you can only stringtwo or three end to end. With LED lights, you can put30 strands together and it doesn’t use so much elec-tricity. You can put them on one plug.”

Going with the tried and true never goes out ofstyle at Christmas time.

“We sell a lot of ornaments,” Raines confirmed.


“Last year everybody wanted theBlue Devil Christmas, so we sold aton of the blue and silver.”

Unique color schemesEveryone thinks of Christmas as

a time when red, green and gold arethe colors of the season, but it’s timeto think outside the box and use yourimagination to let other colorschemes and decoration ideas bright-en the season.

Big Lots offers a lot of colorchoices for people who want a differ-ent look. Raines said her store has alot of color choices for those lookingfor a less traditional color scheme.

“We’ve got lime green, we’ve gothot pink, we’ve got purple and we’vegot turquoise,” she noted.

To give your Christmas decora-tions a jump start this year, skip redand green and explore new colorschemes when dressing up yourtable, decorating your tree or puttingup other holiday decorations. Thechoices are endless to create a holidaylook that is unique.

One way to liven up your holi-day decor is to think pink. That’sright – pink for Christmas. Pink com-bined with gold, along with touchesof lavender, white, and silver make astriking color palette that will catchthe eye. You can use these colorswhen creating your tablescape, wrap-ping gifts and even decorating yourChristmas tree.

Another choice is silver andblue. This holiday décor has a wintryappeal that is understated and beau-tiful. The tree is decorated with softwhite, cool blu, and shiny silver.White furniture and artwork sets offthis holiday look. Of course, the pack-ages are wrapped to match the colorscheme as well, allowing you to saveyour Santa wrap for next year.

Not an obvious choice, but violetand green gives a new twist on thetraditional red and green colorscheme. It’s a little more regal andsophisticated. To make a uniquewreath, head to your local craft storefor ball ornaments, silk flowers andgreen faux foliage. You can easilyattach the items to a foam wreathwith floral picks. Also, use violettablecloths and napkins, create a cen-terpiece for your table with violetflowers and add touches of silver tofinish off the look.

Are you dreaming of a whiteChristmas? White and turquoise canmake those dreams come true withthis cool, wintery color scheme. Thiscombo can look a little too cool, soit’s a good idea to add an accent colorthat really pops – like turquoise orfuchsia. This modern color palette

will certainly brighten up your homethis holiday season.

It’s hard to believe, but neutralscan also make your holiday homestand out in the crowd. Sounds bor-ing right? This holiday palettefeatures brown, beige, cream, grey-green and silver.

Change more than colorUnique decorating for Santa’s

big day can mean more than justchanging your color scheme. Usingvintage pieces can spice up yourdecor as well.

A blending of old and new isalways preferred when decoratingyour home for the holidays. This sea-son, add vintage pieces that havebeen handed down in your family forgenerations – or fake it by purchasingitems from the flea market or antiqueshops. Vintage ornaments, wall hang-ings, clocks, figurines and otheritems can add some unique charm to

your home during the holidays.Another trend is using big,

oversized ornaments on your treeand around your home. In the past,the trend was to decorate your treewith lots of very small ornaments.Now things have swung in the com-pletely opposite direction. This year,think big!

Hang several very large bulbs onyour tree, skip the tinsel and keep therest of your tree decorations to a min-imum. Voluminous Christmasornaments that are eight inches indiameter or more are your best bet– the bigger the better.

Using items with rich texturescan allow you to add a personal touchto your decor. When decorating yourhome this holiday season, don’t for-get to dress up your couches, chairsand other furniture. Add throws andpillows and slip in colors with richtextures such as velvet, suede andfaux fur.

Red and green no longer need t dominate one’s decorating theme. Blue and silver are justone of the many alternatives. Photo Metro Creative Graphics

O U R H O M E H O L I D AY S 2 0 1 0 1 9

Mike and Judy Cox, local developers and realtors,agree they have always loved lights and the joy andlove of the Christmas season. Therefore, it’s no won-der they decorate their house to the hilt every holiday,but particularly at Christmas.

“It all started when we thought we’d do some-thing to bring some enjoyment to the residents in thissubdivision that we developed aswell as the rest of thecommunity. It just grew from there,” said Judy.

“I do the inside and Mike does the outside. Westart around the second weekend in October and thelights finally get turned on Thanksgiving night. Ittakes a lot of time, but we now have become a majorattraction where we watch as the cars flow by.

“Sometimes we open the gates and let peoplebring their kids in to take pictures with the displays.”

Judy said their house is known as the “housewhere Santa” lives because they have an 11-footSanta that waves and shouts from their front entry.They have to turn him off vocally later in theevenings so as not to bother their neighbors, butthey try and leave the lights on well into the evening

Story by

BONNIE BUCY

Mike and Judy CoxReally Light UpChristmas

On the front row are Judy Cox; grandson, Grayson Hemontolor; and daughter,Melana Hemontolor. On the second row are son, Jason holding Ashley; hiswife, Phyllis holding Samantha; Mike Cox; Melana’s husband, Greg Hender-son; and Evan Hemontolor. On the back row are daughter, Deborah standingin front of husband Ronnie Henderson. Photo courtesy of Aline Kornatowsky

2 0 O U R H O M E H O L I D AY S 2 0 1 0

until the cars stop coming.Since the Coxs are builders, they usu-

ally only live in a house for a couple ofyears while they’re building and sellinganother house. This year they’ve beendoing more “adding on” rather than“building from scratch,” so this will be thesixth Christmas in their current house onBlairmont Drive off the corner of BlairLane. The decorations keep increasingeach year, too.

Christmas is in every room through-out the 10,500 square foot house. Thereare two new Christmas trees this year,making for a total of 10. Each is a differenttheme ranging from the den tree that fea-tures “childhood ornaments” their kidsmade way back when to the lime, purple and red tree in themain foyer and the black, white and silver one upstairs.

Of course, Judy’s collection of Santa Claus’ come outand find their places among all the other memorabilia andornamentation.

“Some of it is in fun and some of it is very elegant, andwe love every bit of it,” Judy smiled. “I go shopping and lookwherever I go to find new things and new ideas. The newnetting they came outwith last year is so great. You can do somany thingswith it and it comes in such fascinating colors.”

The outside of the house is all a glow with lights in thetrees and everywhere. Mike also decorates all around thepool.

“Last year when it actually snowed, it looked like awinter wonderland out there with the waterfall dancing inthe lights, the lighted deer and all the rest of it.”

They had carolers made by a lady in Pigeon Forge whogave the singers the faces of children. (She did scarecrowsfor Halloween that also have children’s faces so as not tofrighten the kids.)

Their first major decoration outside was an animatedhelicopter thatmounts on the big, high fence. A teeter totter,blow-ups and so many things followed and come out eachyear until the house is ablaze inside and out.

This doesn’t stop them from driving over to Highway

109 each year to check out the decorations there and otherplaces.

“The lights go on Thanksgiving night and our holidaybegins the first weekend in December when we host a Sun-day School party, which last year included 96 people,” saidJudy. “Our children and grandchildren come, don aprons, doall the serving, greet people at the door and so forth.

“Mike and I both love to cook.We designed our kitchenso we can get past one another in it.”

Being very family oriented, Judy’s dad started a pageantmany years ago for all the family to participate in.

“It’s a tradition my family carries forth,” said Judy.“Some write the lines, some make costumes, everybody hassomething to do in it. Then,we all dress up as the shepherds,wise men and the Holy Family and present the pageant onChristmas morning in our bonus room. They all have tocomplete it before any presents are opened. We have a greattime.”

Judy and Mike have three children, but their entirefamily consists of daughter Medana and her husband, GregHemontolor, and their sons, Evan and Grayson; son Jasonand his wife, Phyllis, and their daughters, Ashley andSamantha; and daughter, Deborah and her husband, RonnieHenderson. (A fifth grandchild was due Oct. 29, but hadn’tarrived by publication time.)

The holiday spirit lives from the living room the seesaw in front of the house. Santa Clausstands ready to greet all guests at the foot of the stairs. Photos courtesy of Judy Cox

More than just a wine store, we’re hereto help you grow your knowledge andyour collection of wines from around theworld. Stop in today to browse ourselection, and let us suggest the perfectwine for your next meal!

Wine Friday5-7 p.m.

Enjoy FREE Tastingsof Selected Wines

Discounts bythe Case

up to 10% off retail

Ferrari-CaranoBella Luce White

$18.99 btl.

Montmartre Brut$10.99 btl.

SchramsbergBlanc de Blancs

$33.99 btl.

BaristaPinotage$14.99 btl.

CanevariFragolino Rosso

$15.99 btl.

SaintsburyPinot Noir$29.99 btl.

1505 W. Main St. • Lebanon, TN

449-7115

Providence Placeof Mt. Juliet

An Assisted Living Community

The Gardens at Providence PlaceAssisted Living Memory Care

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The unique design of the building offers residentsand their families the comfort of knowing that safetyand security are our first priority.

• Each suite has a clear site-line to “supervision.”• Residents enjoy the freedom they deserve in a

home-like environment.• Experienced staff• All inclusive monthly fee

Providing SpecializedMemory Care

1016 Charlie Daniels ParkwayMt. Juliet, TN 37122

615-758-9300www.providenceplaceseniorliving.com

Where Generations Come Together

• Licensed nurses• Personal daily care• Delicious meals

• Housekeeping• Laundry• Activities with bus

• Transportation• Beauty shop• Spa

Providence Place has been setting the standards for 10 years providing much more than the average assisted living facility.

1020 Charlie Daniels Parkway • Mt. Juliet, TN 37122www.providenceplaceseniorliving.com 615-758-4800

Stop by for a tour to see what sets us apart from the rest.

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