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Published Monday, December 21, 2009 in Local

Rain delays some holiday displays

By Jeff Bishop

The Newnan Times-Herald

Hugh and Alice Nash's light display at 50 Canterbury Drive in Grantville went up a little later than planned, but that's been the case with many light displays this year because of the unrelenting foul weather.

"But now we are up and running with it," said Hugh Nash.

"People started coming by earlier, and we tried to have it all up during Thanksgiving, but we just couldn't make that. We were late because of the weather."

It's a common theme this year. One of the most popular light displays in recent years has been that of Loren and Jenny Yarbrough, 205 Brittain Way, Timber Ridge subdivision, off U.S. 29 North. The annual display drew 300-400 cars a night and featured an animated computer-programmed show lasting about 15 minutes.

But not this year.

"We had a lot of people pulling up, waiting for the lights to come on," said Loren Yarbrough. "But we just ran out of time this year."

But drivers are encouraged to check out a new spectacular display on Highway 29, near the Fulton County line, instead.

As far as big light displays go... everyone knows that everything's bigger in Texas. So when George and Linda Shemo moved to SummerGrove from Texas, they brought their big light display with them.

"We have 43,138 lights this year. We started at about Halloween," said Shemo. "My husband has put in about 120 hours total."

"His dad used to put out lights every Christmas," said Mrs. Shemo. "Since his dad passed away, that's his way of remembering him."

The home at 101 Lakeshore Drive will be lit from 6-10 p.m. each night.

The display includes plywood Santas and music, but "it's more lights than anything," she said.

Back on the south end of the county, the Nashes now say that, in spite of the delay, their display is now open from 6-11 each night.

"We've been really busy down here," said Nash. "It took us a little over a month to get it all up. But they kids are excited about it, and that's what it's all about. It's for the kids. If we can make just one child smile, then it's worth it."

The Nashes got started at their longtime residence on Lone Oak Road, where they put up displays for 20 years. They've been putting up lights at the Canterbury subdivision for six years.

"It's a lot of work," he said.

The Nashes have a surfing Santa, another Santa with eight reindeer, and some lighted blow-ups. But "mostly we've just got lights everywhere," he said.

The children's favorites include a Santa in an airplane and Scooby-Doo, said Nash.

"Christmas is just about our favorite time of year," he said.

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