Shining bright for second straight year
For a second straight year, Fernando Ramirez and wife Grisel Payan have the top display in The Santa Fe New Mexican’s Holiday Display Extravaganza.
The eye-shieldingly bright display in the 4200 block of Vegas de Sueños comprised more than 55,000 lights this year, a bit smaller than last year, but that’s because Ramirez was flu-stricken during the decorating season.
“He couldn’t even move,” said Payan, who tried to dissuade Ramirez from his annual ritual.
“I started on Halloween,” Ramirez said. Over a span of four to five weeks, he worked on the extravaganza a few hours each day, then spent up to 12 hours each weekend day to get the display into shape.
The city of Santa Fe Environmental Services co-sponsored the search for the city’s best displays. A gallery and map in print and online at santafenewmexican.com/holidays show where to find some of the displays around town.
The family’s best-on-the-block reputation has been spreading, and they report receiving holiday cards in the mail and knocks at the door from people to thank them for their Christmas spirit.
“Sometimes people come just to give me a hug,” Payan said.
That appreciation and flattery have even come to manifest itself as imitation.
“There is a designer lady I work with,” Ramirez said. “And she was going to decorate a client’s house. She told me she had a picture of the house that she wanted to copy for her client, and when she showed me the picture I told her, ‘That’s my house!’ ”
While Ramirez and Payan claimed top honors this year, other neighborhoods have shown their holiday spirit, creating hot spots of lights near DeVargas Center and in the Colores del Sol and Pueblos del Sol neighborhoods.
A display in the 900 block of Vuelta del Sur featuring two shade shelters highlighting a Santa Claus figure and a Nativity scene received the most votes in the People’s Choice category.
Timothy Carey’s display called the “Ginger Bread House” in the 3000 block of Floras del Sol and a display submitted by Joan Sickler in the 2200 block of Espejo Place also were honored.