Christmas in Germantown

Driving from my house into the center of Germantown this week, I was struck by the festive atmosphere.  A good proportion of the homes and businesses along Main Street and the surrounding roads are sporting some kind of Christmas decoration.  While some displays are modest and others over the top, it is more the cumulative effect of all of them that makes a drive at twilight or early evening a cheery holiday experience, well worth the effort.

Leaving my own house with its blue and white Christmas lights, I can’t help but smile when I look at my next door neighbors, the Bells’ house.  They put on one of those unabashedly celebratory displays, which evokes memories of Snoopy’s doghouse from Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown to me. Down the street at the intersection of Woods Road and 9G, a rather chaste Greek revival by day goes “Vegas” at night.  Turning up Main Street, one sees a parade of homes, all of them different, but blending in nicely with each other.  The showstopper of this part of town however, is the choir, Santa and his reindeer wreath and lit tree extravaganza. Winding your way into the center of town, everything looks festive, wtih even the Fire Department getting in the spirit. I find the windows at Otto’s Variety Store, and Floral Innovations to be my favorites however.  Farther down Main Street, this house begs one to slow down and note Eeyore, Santa Claus and the other blown up characters. Pretty much any road you take out of town will bring you past other displays, so it is well worth the drive along County Route 8, 9G, Hover Ave. or Church Ave. to look at more displays.  Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!