Burlingame neighborhood welcomes visitors with holiday display

John Ward has lived in the neighborhood since 1975, and has decorated his house for as long as he can remember. His house was once the only source of light on the street during December, drawing the eyes of passersby with a glowing Santa, sleigh and reindeer in the middle of his front lawn.

This year, Ward has adorned his traditional, English-style Tudor house with white icicle lights hanging from the roof’s edges and colorful globe lights brightening the trees on his front lawn. Ward has placed his famous Santa sleigh and reindeer, as well as a bright star, on the roof of his house. They shine over the glistening Christmas tree that fills his front window.

But this year, Ward’s house is joined by several other houses whose residents have chosen to celebrate the holidays in similar fashion.

“There could be some real synergy here,” he said. “It’s spontaneous, there was no game plan. For some reason this year, we have almost half if not more of the houses illuminated.”

Ward’s home has long been one of several early 20th-century Tudor revival homes on these streets. Characterized by angled rooflines, shuttered windows and exterior wooden framing, the unique aesthetic is what brought Ward and many of his neighbors to the area.

When he first moved into the neighborhood, he was one of the youngest homeowners on the block among older residents who seemed to live on their own. He has seen an influx of younger homeowners with families move in and suspects this movement might be sparking interest in holiday decorations.

Though the rustic charm of the neighborhood’s architecture originally drew Brian Tobin’s attention, the holiday light display is what convinced him that this neighborhood could be home. Tobin was enchanted by the holiday display at Ward’s house when he was looking for a home in 2010.

“Somehow a quiet winter evening with glowing Christmas lights makes Willborough feel like a neighborhood where families celebrate the holidays together and say hello to their neighbors on Christmas Day,” he wrote in an email.

Tobin has enjoyed accenting the Tudor-style features of his home, draping icicle lights on the steep roofline and dormer windows that protrude from the roof. He has also wrapped a lit evergreen garland around the light pole in front of his house.

“No house on Willborough is fancy,” he said. “We go for charming.”

For Tobin, watching his neighbor’s holiday decorations go up between Thanksgiving and Christmas is one of his favorite parts about living in the neighborhood. He moved into his house on Willborough Place in 2010, and was excited join his neighbors in decorating his first house. It seems the shared experience of crafting holiday decorations brings a close community even closer.

“It’s something we talk about. When I see my neighbors on the street, or on the block, we have commented on how pretty the lights look, asked about how setup went,” he said. “Neighbors share tips on using a service to put lights up. I think one of the first times I met John Ward we talked about his holiday lights.”

Ron Leavy bought his starter home in the neighborhood 40 years ago and never left. Initially drawn to the area by its proximity to downtown, Caltrain and freeways, he found it difficult to leave the close-knit community he found there.

“We watch out for each other,” he said.

Leavy is Jewish, and chose to decorate the trunk of the large evergreen outside his home with blue and white lights in celebration of Hanukkah. He also embellished the roofline and bushes outside his home with bright white lights. Leavy credits the neighborhood’s friendly attitude with the proliferation of decorations this year.

“I think it’s more of a welcoming of people into the neighborhood,” he said. “A lot of them have been living here as long as we have.”

And it’s working. Ward has seen several cars slow to a stop as they are making their way through the streets, and even saw one reverse and drive through again to relive the spectacle.

“When they see the neighborhood illuminated, they stop and make a point of it.”

anna@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 102