Connie Sims has two hobbies: photography and dazzling her
neighbors at Christmas. The Sims house at 17054 Holiday Drive is
famous in Holiday Lake Estates for its impressive display of
thousands and thousands of colored lights, reindeer, snowmen,
Santas and candy canes.
Connie Sims has two hobbies: photography and dazzling her neighbors at Christmas.
The Sims house at 17054 Holiday Drive is famous in Holiday Lake Estates for its impressive display of thousands and thousands of colored lights, reindeer, snowmen, Santas and candy canes.
“I like to look at lights,” said Sims. “Also, we’ve never lived near our family so this is our way of sharing Christmas.”
Sims and her husband, Gary, who died in October 2002 after a long battle with cancer, wired the house and yard 20 years ago with the intention of lighting it up during the holidays.
“We installed extra electrical outlets throughout the yard,” Sims said.
Getting the balance right, figuring out how many lights a particular circuit can handle, she said, was a matter of trial and error. But she also said Gary, an engineer who loved passing on information, taught her a lot.
The number of lights on a particular tree does not stay the same, she said, since the tree grows. And, yes, circuit breakers have blown, leaving the house shrouded in darkness – but not for long.
Along the way Sims picked up helpful tricks, such as wrapping the electrical connections with waterproof tape, even though the lights are rated for outdoors.
“When a connection gets wet it uses more electricity,” Sims said.
The Sims’ PG&E bill is always a matter of interest and speculation to her neighbors.
“The lights are on from 5:30-10:30 p.m., every day for about six weeks (she starts decorating before Thanksgiving),” Sims said. The lights add at least an extra $400 to her each of her winter monthly bills.
“It’s worth it,” she said. “It’s my gift to my neighbors.”
Pam McLaughlin who has lived next door to the Sims for 20 years remembers meeting Connie for the first time.
“It was in the fall,” McLaughlin said. “We were talking about Christmas coming soon and I mentioned that we decorated. Connie said ‘We put up lights too – a string or two.’
McLaughlin said she really chuckled when she saw what “a string or two” meant to the Sims.
Sims said she doesn’t really know how many lights the display uses. The house is topped with several attics, the largest of which is lined with deep shelves holding – now empty – boxes of lights and decorations and extension cords.
It would be a mistake to think that Sims’ work stops at the front door. Every room of her large house is decorated with Christmas and winter themes. Each major room has a large Christmas tree and often several smaller ones too. Decorations are monochromatic – only one color per tree. Almost the only surfaces in the house not reflecting the holiday spirit are Sims’ five computers.
The tree in one guest room, used by granddaughter Kelsey, 13, is pink and white. Since Kelsey, a straight A student, is a competition ice skater, the pink tree has a skating theme.
A guest room dedicated to grandson Matthew, 6, whirls with an airplane/train theme. Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Tigger from Winnie the Pooh sit nearby waiting for his visit from Rancho Cucamonga.
Sims said things have changed a bit since her husband’s death, just before the holidays last year.
“I’ve always been the one up on the ladder but this year my son-in-law helped,” Sims said. She no longer feels confident to climb to the top of a 30-foot ladder to decorate the largest pine tree. And someone else installs Santa’s sleigh on the roof, though Sims has seldom accepted neighbors’ help, relying on family instead, and her own efforts.
The most surprising thing about the outdoor display is that each tree – as indoors – is only one color instead of the white lights or combination colors seen in other yards.
The only year when the house remained dark was two years ago when, Sims said, she and her husband chose to forego the pleasure of holiday lights during the energy shortage.
Last year after her husband’s death, neighbors thought she would leave the house dark. But no. Sims started decorating early when Gary was still sick – so he could take part, she said. After his death, Sims spent the holidays in Southern California with her daughter’s family – but timers kept the lights on each night.
This will be Connie Sims’ last year to decorate her Holiday Drive house. She will be putting the house on the market after the holidays and moving near Eureka to be near her 85-year-old mother.
While neighbors thought Sims might give up the display once her husband died but she had another reaction:
“This one last year is a tribute to my husband,” Sims said.
Neighbor Karen Anderson said people are so grateful for the display that they drop off little gifts and money and send thank-you notes. In fact, knowing that Sims is planning to move, the Holiday Lake Estates website is busy collecting thank yous to send to Sims.
“I have a lot of Christmas spirit,” Sims said unnecessarily.
To reach the Sims light display, drive east on East Dunne, up the hill into Jackson Oaks; take the left hand drive when the road splits for Holiday Lake Estates (the right hand road goes to Coe Park). 17054 Holiday Drive is on the right about half a mile in. There are a few places to park safely. Watch for the deer that congregate in the empty field across the street.
