The theft of a 12-foot blowup ghost from outside their bedroom window early one fall morning 鈥� before even the sun came up 鈥� wasn鈥檛 enough to deter the Warren family from going all out with Christmas decorations.
The relatively newcomers to 91原创 were admittedly 鈥渄evastated鈥� by the theft from the decorative new Halloween exhibit they put up in their front yard on 50th Avenue this fall, explained Debbie Warren.
The new ghost lit up blue and flashed like it was being electrocuted, drawing attention from a lot of neighbours and passersby in the 91原创 City neighbourhood.
鈥淭hey did it right under our noses,鈥� Debbie said of the theft, noting surveillance video of the crime has been turned over to police. No arrests have been made, yet, as far as they鈥檙e aware.
鈥淚t was our favourite piece by far,鈥� interjected Debbie鈥檚 husband Troy. 鈥淎 couple came into our yard and targeted that one piece and stole it. We were both very upset, but agreed that it was not going to ruin our Halloween or Christmas.鈥�
And a high degree of Christmas spirit still seems evident in the Warren household, if the growing display of lights and decorations in their front yard are any indication.
鈥淲e are always on the lookout for some new stuff, lights,鈥� he added, explaining that the rains in late November kept them from placing all their outdoor decorations out at one time.
Instead, for the first half of December, it seemed something new went up every day or two, until this past weekend, when Troy announced they were done 鈥� just ahead of the snowfall.
Moving from a three-storey townhouse in Cloverdale to a home with a yard in 91原创, there was also a lot more space for the couple to decorate, Troy said.
With that bigger canvas, came the need for more to display. This season alone, they鈥檝e purchased at least 20 more strings of lights, a couple more inflatables, and a few other decorations 鈥� with expectations of still growing the display further in future.
鈥淚鈥檓 sure we will add some more stuff, obviously more lights,鈥� Troy added.
鈥淲e get lots of compliments from the neighbours, people walking their dogs by the house, etc.,鈥� he said. Admittedly, the feedback makes them happy, but it鈥檚 not their sole motivation.
It鈥檚 a passion the couple shares, and that鈥檚 reason enough to do it.
鈥淔rom when I was young, my favourite Christmas movie has always been National Lampoon鈥檚 Christmas Vacation,鈥� said 45-year-old Troy, who confesses to being more into the Christmas displays, while Debbie 鈥� who by day is an office manager at Abell Pest Control 鈥� is Mrs. Halloween.
鈥淗aving a house like Clark Griswold has always been a dream. He was always about the lights, and that is my passion,鈥� Troy elaborated.
鈥淎s for the blowups, I still find they don鈥檛 always display very well at night, they never seem to install enough lights inside of them. We need more lights,鈥� he said, chuckling as he showed off his Griswold jersey.
While Troy always helped his dad put up Christmas lights when he was growing up, but 鈥渘othing ever too crazy though.鈥�
It was his grandmother who really ignited his desire for lights. As a teen, he started helping his grandma 鈥� motivated originally to help by the promise of pizza.
But as time went on, and grandma鈥檚 sight began to fail, he began to exercise a little more artistic license and add more and more light.
鈥淪he always loved the lights and music,鈥� he said, noting he assisted her annually for some 20 years 鈥� until she passed away about a decade ago.
鈥淪o, I always had a fascination with Christmas lights, and when I moved out from my parents was when the displays started,鈥� he explained.
鈥淢y first place was an apartment, so the canvas was very limited. About 15 years ago, I moved to a townhouse in Cloverdale, much more room for lights, but still quite limited and very minimal front yard,鈥� said Troy, a superintendent at Deltaport container terminal.
Six months ago they purchased their home in 91原创, off 203rd Street, 鈥渁nd since that day I鈥檝e been looking forward to our Christmas light display,鈥� Troy said.
鈥淚 know our display isn鈥檛 as big as some that are out there, but one day maybe,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e both love to decorate, as Debbie puts it, 鈥榮he decorates my life, and I add the lights.鈥欌��
The Warren family display, at., in 91原创, will be on each night (from around 4 p.m. until sunrise) through until at least New Year鈥檚 Day 鈥� weather dependent.
