MerrinDonahue.com

Everybody has that one house in their neighborhood. You know the one I’m talking about. The house that you secretly start looking at starting the day after Thanksgiving. The house that (publicly) you declare an absolute holiday abomination but (privately) you. Think. Is. AWESOME. There is a house like that just down the street from us (and, no, I’m not talking about the Tenement on Wheels House) that defies all logic. It must be seen to be believed.
I first noticed this house on my way home from work two years ago. Every day, I would drive by and notice one or two more things added to the holiday scene played out on the front lawn of a modest house in a modest suburb. The first thing that caught my eye was the full-sized skating pond that showcased Pooh and all his friends. The next day, I beheld the life-sized Santa and Snowmen in the two front windows of the house. Then, I caught the carolers , complete with a full-sized chapel….AND LIVE MUSIC. Then came the train that circled around the yard and also…..PLAYED LIVE MUSIC. Finally, one day, I came cruising up the street and there it was in all its Christmas glory. The nativity scene. I’m not talking about the illuminated plastic nativity scene, either. No, sir. Not at this house. These were actual-size nativity people kneeling around a suprising life-like baby Jesus. With, you guessed it…LIVE MUSIC.
I mentioned previously that something new was added each day, almost in a “Twelve Days of Christmas” fashion. Secretly, though, I think that they just kept stumbling on more and more Christmas crap stored in their attic, but whatever. Finally, one day, I drove by and there it was. The Archangel. Flying high over the whole scene in all her majesty. This year, I have made Kevin drive by that house at least three times, and each time, I panic because the damn Archangel is nowhere to be found, and, let’s be honest, the Archangel pretty much makes the whole scene. Finally, FINALLY, we drove by this weekend and took our place behind the long line of cars waiting to see the holdiay monstrosity display laid out before us, and there she was: The Archangel.
Now I feel like the holiday season is truly upon us. And, yes, I plan on taking a picture and posting it here, because it simply must be seen to be believed.