Christmas Tree Lane: Tradition since 1961 continues

Tom Payne knows what the spirit of Christmas is all about.

While most of his friends were tucked away in warm houses, Payne braved the winter winds while stringing Christmas lights across Ceres’ Henry Avenue - a residential street that will soon be alive with hoards of onlookers and lines of visiting cars.

Such is life on Christmas Tree Lane.

Saturday marked the opening night of the 2006 Christmas light season for the handful of residents that spend more time organizing their displays than most people do shopping - starting as early as Thanksgiving with all of the preparation.

“The planning takes months - getting everything figured out on how it’s going to be,” Payne said while testing a new strand of lights. “But when we get everything up and it’s all working it’s worth it - it’s part of the tradition.”

Opting for a new look this season, Payne and his family have taken on a tropical theme - one which includes a Hawaiian shirt clad Santa Claus and pink flamingos that aren’t typically seen in December.

For the last decade they have looked forward to the time of year when thousands of guests from Ceres and beyond make the trek down Henry Avenue and onto Vaughn Way to see one of the most famous lighting displays in the area.

“It’s during events like this that you can really get a feel for the spirit of the community - when everybody pulls together to help one another out,” Cheri Payne said. “We have a great community spirit here in Ceres and I think you can see it in how much work goes into this.”

Up the street second-year home-owner Kym Wood waited with anticipation for the crowds as she tested her numerous front-yard Christmas treats - including an oversized snow globe with moving parts and enough lights to make anybody jealous.

Prior to moving onto Henry, Wood knew of the tradition she would have to be a part of and couldn’t be happier.

“It’s a lot of fun setting everything up and getting into the spirit of the holidays,” Wood said. “We have a lot of great neighbors and a great community here in Ceres that appreciates the work that everybody puts into this event.

“There’s something special about it.”

From now until Christmas Eve there will be a steady stream of cars turning off of Moffet Way and into the entrance of Christmas Tree Lane - at times requiring police to direct the traffic as it backs up to as far away as Hatch Road.

Horse drawn carriages and visits from Santa Claus himself are yearly staples.

But things aren’t all roses for the homeowners who allow their properties to become themed centerpieces - at times putting them in an unfavorable situation with crowds that don’t always respect the work that goes into the displays.

Just off the corner of Callie Gaede’s front driveway a wooden power pole remains blackened after hoodlums set a garbage can on fire last year.

Empty beer cans and whisky bottles can often be found on weekend mornings in front yards and in the back of pickup trucks parked in the driveways.

And occasionally, used diapers are even tossed into the equation.

Tom Gaede grew up on the street that he now lives on just a stone’s throw away from his parents, and doesn’t enjoy the indifference of the crowds - pointing out that once the crowds start rolling through something as simple as turning into your driveway becomes a brutal task.

“If people would just respect the homeowners it wouldn’t be so bad,” Gaede said while searching for a blown fuse in a new strand of lights.

“When people come home from work they are forced to sit there for 10 minutes while these visitors won’t even let them into the driveway.

“That’s just not right.”