Move over Clark Griswold.
As more and more Meadow Lake and area residents decorate their houses as a way of spreading Christmas cheer, one home in particular is getting a lot of attention for the unique effort its occupants have taken, not only at Christmas, but during other holidays too.
“We decorate for every season – it didn’t used to be as much, but we’ve really been adding on a lot this year,” explained Anna Laliberte about the home she and Eldon Edquist share with their three daughters at 511 Centre St. “A lot of our decorations are handmade. We love to decorate – it’s fun, and the kids like it.”
Currently, the family’s Christmas display includes hand-crafted snowmen, Christmas trees, a train and more.
“It’s mostly done, but we might make a few more things,” Laliberte added. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we really got into woodworking. It became a hobby, and now we’re doing it all the time. We were at home a lot, so we had to find a way to stay busy. Most of our decorations are woodwork projects.”
Prior to Christmas, Laliberte, Edquist and the three girls – Savannah, Edon and Miami – decorated their lawn for Remembrance Day. The display included a number of wooden crosses and was designed to look like Flanders Field.
“A lot of people are losing the meaning of Remembrance Day,” Laliberte said. “They’re forgetting it, but there are still so many people who had fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers who were in the war and never came back. We made a miniature Flanders Field to help people remember what Nov. 11 is supposed to be all about.”
Meanwhile, Laliberte shared how important it is to her children to be able to be involved in such a fun-filled initiative.
“They really like helping out with the decorations, and they like the finished product each time,” she said. “They’re really proud of their yard.”
She also said a number of people have really started to take notice of the family’s efforts.
“A lot of people have stopped to take a look, or will shout a compliment out the window as they drive by,” she noted. “It puts a smile on people’s faces, and that’s why we like doing it.”
Edquist agreed.
“If it puts a smile on someone’s face, that’s what it’s all about,” he stated.
Following Christmas, Laliberte said the next big project will likely coincide with Valentine’s Day.
“That’s what’s coming up next,” she said. “Again, most of our displays are handmade. We decorate for every season, but now that we make our own decorations it makes it more special.”
by Phil Ambroziak
