Let your heart be light — Utah homes get dressed up for the Christmas season

When Greg and Bev Soter built their house at 1246 N. Shepard Lane in Farmington five years ago, they thought it had the look of a gingerbread house.

When it came time to decorate it with Christmas lights, they decided to expand upon this look. Their home is now filled with at least 50 yard ornaments, which include lollipops, candy canes and peppermints to give it a Candy Land feel, Greg said.

When they were searching for lollipops to put up, the Soters couldn't find any that they liked, so they made their own with Styrofoam, PVC pipe and rope lights. Greg says they enjoy watching the fast-moving cars slow down as their eyes catch the bright yard, which also has 15 lighted Christmas trees.

"It's a lot of fun. We enjoy it, and the neighborhood enjoys it," he said. "We want to keep the Christmas cheer going."

It's cabin fever that drives Forrest Nunley outside to adorn his house, 805 E. 18th Ave., with Christmas lights. The Avenues resident says during what he calls the "mud months," when it's too chilly to go fishing but isn't snowmobiling season yet, he needs something outdoorsy to do. Making beautiful displays with Christmas lights and decorations provides him just such an activity. He takes great delight in decorating his home with around 30,000 Christmas lights.

Nunley begins in October, putting up purple and orange lights for Halloween, which become part of his Christmas display. Every year his display grows, helped along by annual visits to the after-Christmas sales where he can get lights for 75 percent off. This year Nunley added five inflatables, tulip lights and a set of 12-inch bulb lights hanging from the roof.

Nunley's pride and joy, he says, are the plastic blow molds scattered throughout his display. Most can't be purchased in stores because they don't sell them anymore. He finds his molds in antique shops or secondhand stores such as Deseret Industries.

What motivates him to continue his lighting display is seeing the joy it brings to passers-by.

"It's so much work. I wouldn't want to do it if someone can't enjoy it," he said.

When John and Rosemary Godfrey moved to their home at 1545 E. Glen Arbor Drive 40 years ago, little did they know they were becoming part of one of Salt Lake City's oldest traditions.