Shawn Nowlin
shawn.nowlin@ourvalley.org
For those that appreciate creative yard displays and holiday decorations, Santa Claus came with an early present this year. To help spread some holiday cheer, people all throughout the city have brightened up the community with colorful yard displays, outdoor Christmas decorations and much more.
Take Salem resident Thomas Coleman for instance. If people notice several familiar characters in his front yard off Roanoke Boulevard, that is not by coincidence. Said Coleman, “I am 35, and love everything about Marvel Comics. Black Panther has been my favorite character since I was a kid. The passing of Chadwick Boseman was beyond devastating. In my yard this year I went with Black Panther, Iron Man and Hulk inflatables in addition to some other decorations.”
Roanoke County resident Kim Fudge’s passion for creative yard displays started at an early age. I, she said, will never forget the feeling I got as a kid driving around with my parents and looking at different decorations. She added, “With everything that has happened this year, it’s nice that so many people have decided to brighten up the community.”
Fudge and her husband Jalen made a deal in November: as long as they agreed on the same colors, their yard display would remain as is until February.
For as long as she can remember, Catawba resident Amy Robinson has driven around the Roanoke Valley each December with her grandparents and took pictures of the best visuals that caught the eye. This year, she said, “I drove around by myself and emailed the pictures to my nana and grandpop. Because of their ages, I just didn’t want to risk exposing them to any potential illness.”
Few people have a more colorful yard display than Salem resident Dave Wyble and his wife Pat. The Salem couple began working on their yard in November and relish feedback from the community. “We just wanted to do our part in bringing some holiday joy to the community because it is needed more than ever,” he said.
Those who wish to view the Wyble’s yard are encouraged to drive through Horner Lane on the weekends.
Driving up to the house of Roanoke County native William Smith is a little like driving through Disneyland – at least that is how Ryan Carter initially felt.
“Most people just put up a few lights and call it a day. I certainly fall under that category. There are others, however, who you can tell take a more calculated and strategic approach to their yard displays,” Smith said. “I saw a house near Hollins University that was so colorful that it made me pull over the car. The owner gladly answered my questions and told me the stories behind his decorations.”
With so much darkness that 2020 has presented, said Sandra Beal, it’s nice to see so many people doing their part in brightening up the community. “I hope everyone has a safe and fulfilling holiday,” she added.
