01/02/2026
THE BEGINNING, THE FUN & THE END OF CANDY CANE LANE!
Forgive me - but I want to reminisce a little.
20+ years ago Tony and I started our Christmas light display. We started by hanging a few lights on our house and bushes. We purchased our 1st 'critters' (what we call all our display items including trees) at Sams. A buck, a doe and a fawn which were still part of our display this year!
It didn't take long until we were purchasing light strings in bulk, hanging them on anything we had along with the addition of trees, more critters, etc.
Tony came up with the idea and design to build candy canes held together with arches to span our driveway. So, he welded up 2 sets of them. That's when we decided we needed electric at the candy canes, so we trenched and ran electric line to the concreate pillars along the driveway. I was impressed by the way he designed the parts so they were easy to connect and disassemble for storage.
Every year kids, grandkids and I would purchase more critters for Tony for Christmas. It became a type of game for me after Christmas every year to find the best 'deals' to add to our display the next year.
After a while we outgrew our electric supply. We had to add. Then LED lights came out! We talked about just letting our display fade out as our lights died, but then we went shopping and Tony found a good deal on LED light sets! We came home with cases of them! We weren't done yet! Over the next few years, we transformed our display to LEDS including re-wiring old critters with them. Our electric costs for the display went from around $500 to $100!
As our display grew and Tony and I got older, our family got more involved. Tony and I would start the 1st weekend of October going through everything, making sure all the lights worked and making repairs to all the critters. The 1st weekend of November, we would start putting everything up. Tony was in charge of construction and installation, and I was the designer (what he called me).
This year the family got together and decided we would put up the display one last time, in memory of Tony. Jason took the lead, as my heart just wasn't in it. My job was to go through everything and make sure the lights worked and the critters were repaired. My sister and brother-in-law, Jill and Tom, along with some family friends helped with that process. Our family came every weekend throughout November to put up the display. They did it all! Some of us made sure they were watered and fed!
Now, the lights have been shut down for the last time. I've been asked: What now? I'm going to keep some of the critters and at least 1 of the big candy canes for my littles. Our kids and family members have critters they'd like to have. I have a group I'm going to donate our nativity stuff to. The rest - decision has not been made yet. All of it may go to a new location - or it may be sold. I'll let you all know.
It's hard to let this chapter go, but it's also hard to even think about continuing. Everything about our display revolved around Tony and I working and planning together. Missing my cohort, my soulmate, my everything, makes it very painful to continue.
In this new existence, I going to take time to heal. Adjust to being alone. Focus on my littles, family and God!
Thank you for your support over these 20+ years! I send you love and prayers!
Jana
