Tucked in the northeast corner of Murray along the 900 block of Colfax Street is a sight to behold - some 200,000 plus Christmas lights adorning the houses, yards and trees of the McNeals and Tracys.
The tradition of Danny and Cheryl McNeal and Bruce and Crissi Tracy putting up an impressive lighting display started many years ago and seems to grow each year.
For Danny, he can trace his love of Christmas lights back to when his folks lived in the house he now calls home.
“Murray used to do a lighting contest, and that lighting contest was worth - I think first place like 150 bucks or something like that. Well, I’m kind of competitive. So I was helping mom and dad put up lights. Well, when we bought the house from them, I inherited the lights,” said Danny.
The person who owned the house before his parents was also big into Christmas lights, something Danny remembers enjoying as a boy.
“I’m just a Christmas guy,” said Bruce, joking that they just have to keep up with Danny.
Thousands of lights
To get an estimate of 200,000 or more lights, Danny calculated how many lights are in a linear foot, which is about seven to 10. He then added up how many linear feet of lights he had, and figured that the Tracys had about the same.
One hedge in the McNeal yard contains 2,100 lights, and Bruce said wrapping a tree can easily take 1,000 lights. And that’s not counting the inflatables that are put up, either.
This year, and a source of pride for Bruce, is a 20-foot tall Santa Claus that he saw in Menards and just had to have. When Crissi hesitated, Bruce’s reply was,
“Just think when [those] kids are out driving around, the one thing they’re going to keep talking about is that big Santa,” Crissi said.
The process of putting up the lights begins in October, but Cheryl said it really could start in the summer, as there always seems to be something to buy, whether it’s more lights, decorations or extension cords. Then after-Christmas sales start, it’s time to stock up for next year.
All of the lights, extension cords and other elements are stored in sheds on the properties each yard, in totes and boxes.
When it comes to choosing a favorite light display, Bruce likes the lights that go around the peaks of the house, what he calls the pureness of the home. Cheryl likes their nativity scene, as it’s the reason for the season. Danny and Crissi both like Danny’s 16x8-foot cross in his yard, and that is one that stays up year-round.
The memories
Though both couples enjoy the Christmas lights themselves, they also like the joy it brings to others.
“Your kids and you will remember it,” said Bruce, who remembers fondly driving around to look at lights as a kid, a tradition that he and Crissi continued with their kids and now.
In 2019 when Danny was under the weather, he had neighbors calling to ask when he was going to put up his lights, and then offered to do it for him, saying it was a tradition for their families to come look at his lights. One year, Danny’s house even made a list of Top 50 lights to see in a 60-mile radius from Des Moines.
For them, it’s not a chore to put up the lights, but something the look forward to.
The McNeals and Tracys aren’t the only ones in Murray who get in on the holiday spirit, though. Many other houses around town feature lights, set ups and inflatables. Maple Street in front of city hall and the library have lights strung across the street, and Mallory Park is decorated as well, with many lights donated by the two couples.
“Here in small-town Murray, Iowa - it’s worth checking us out,” said Danny.
The lights on Colfax Street will stay up for a couple more weeks.