Lights on Slocumb
By Barbara Arntsen
Published in News on December 24, 2004 1:58 PM
The Christmas spirit is alive, well and glowing in several neighborhoods in Goldsboro.
It's hard to know who started the light display throughout Highland Estates, Carver Heights and on Robinson Place because residents all say they were inspired by their neighbors.
"I can't claim credit to starting this," says Councilman Charles Williams, who lives on South Slocumb Street. "The credit lies with others."
But Williams isn't quite sure who started it.
A neighbor of his, Georgie Edwards, says she and her husband began decorating their yard and house after seeing Williams put up the decorations at his house.
Marena Hall said she had never put up lights at Christmas until she moved to the area.
"The neighbors were putting up lights, and it just grew," she said.
Ms. Hall has a yard full of decorations and lights, with both a Biblical and playful theme.
On one side of her yard is a nativity scene, a burning bush with Moses, three crosses and the animals present at the birth of the Christ child. In a far corner she has a replica of the old rugged cross.
The other side of her yard shows Santa on his sleigh, a snowman, a train, a helicopter and reindeer.
Because she puts all the decorations and the lights up herself, the process is time consuming. She says it takes her about two months to get all the decorations up.
"My yard is small, so I have to really work at arranging everything just right," she said.
Mrs. Edwards says she and her husband usually begin putting their decorations up right around Thanksgiving. The residents say that most people take the light displays down before the first of the year.
"I can't even say how many lights we have out there because I don't know," Mrs. Edwards said. "But it's a lot."
The Edwardses don't have a particular theme in their yard. They placed the lights on their door, windows and bushes. "Just what appeals to us," she said.
Williams says that the display of lights is a uniting force in the neighborhood during the holiday season.
Williams doesn't just decorate his house, he also helps a widow in the neighborhood put up her light display.
"There's a lot of unity involved," he said. "Senior citizens work on it, helped by young people and others. These magnificent lights really tell a story for the Christmas season."