CHRISTMAS IN EVERY ROOM

Saturday afternoon I headed out to South Amherst to take pictures of a Christmas display set up in front of Dave & Joy Vaughn’s home on Annis Road. Several people had told me that the Vaughn’s set up a really nice display so I figured I would shoot it and use it as a piece for Christmas. When I arrived I found a lot of inflatable decorations in the front yard with a zillion lights but I quickly realized that the story was more inside Vaughn home then outside.

Walk through the front door at the Vaughn’s home and you’re greeted by Christmas decorations wall to wall. Each room you walk into there is at least one Christmas tree, bathrooms and laundry room included. Decorations that light up, sing, dance, ride bicycles, ski and play music are in every room, Joy joked about how they go through about as many Tylenol’s as they do batteries over the holiday. When I first walked in I was speechless by the amount of decorations that they had put out, and only a fraction of what they own. During my tour of the home many questions were going through my head, how much money was spent over the years buying all these items, how much is the electric bill in this home and how can I swipe one of these ornaments without Dave seeing me? However, the main question was why? Why spend weeks putting up all the trees with the hundreds and hundreds of ornaments, all the decorations, inside and out? You see Dave and Joy run Vaughn’s Auto Towing and Service Garage on Leavitt Road in South Amherst, a very successful and very busy Garage. For them to take this much time away from the business there must be a good reason.

When asked why, Joy said that until 1972, the year she married Dave, she had never had a Christmas at least not a good one. So, on their first Christmas 35 years ago, they decked out their home and have not stopped building. Joy said that the amount of time it takes to get everything in place and working just right means nothing when she sees the faces of her children and grandchildren on Christmas. When everybody is together in the home it adds up to between 15 to 20 people, a little tight with the decorations taking up so much room, but having the family close is what it’s all about.

There are many gifts stuffed under the tree, the main tree that is, but there is one for everyone that does not fit under the tree, one that is not even wrapped. That is the gift Dave & Joy give to everyone who is welcome in their home at this time of year, and that is the “Spirit of Christmas”.


To see more photos: CLICK HERE