THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 23, 1994 TAG: 9412220128
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HEIDI GLICK, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Joyce Fifield pulled the last tray of cookies out of the oven, adjusted her bright red Christmas sweatshirt and walked onto her front porch. It was nearing 6:30 p.m. ``Are you ready?'' she screamed to a pool of neighbors mingling in front of her house.
``Yes,'' they called back in unison. With a flick of the wrist, Fifield, along with other residents on her street, switched on her outdoor Christmas lights - all at the same time.
A dark and wooded Johnson Street near King's Grant Elementary immediately brightened as folks cheered.
Animated hand-made porcelain dolls decorated windows; plastic candy canes lined sidewalks. A lighted Santa and reindeer posed on the roof of one house while another had a lighted archway across the driveway.
For residents on this secluded dead-end street off North Lynnhaven Road, decorating their houses with Christmas lights is a streetwide celebration. Family members, children, grandchildren and two white dogs came out to drink cider, eat cookies and watch as the lights went on.
The children gathered around Fifield's son, Wendell Fifield, who dressed as Santa. Members of another family dressed as elves and gave out real candy canes.
Living on the street is like stepping back in time, residents said. Many grew up on the street and now live in a house near their parents or even in their parents' old homes. ``We're all family here,'' said Debra Hall, 43. She's been living in the same house with her parents since she was 3. Her brother, Jeff Triplett, lives across the street and leads everyone in the number of lights (almost 10,000) that he puts on the house. Fifield's daughter, Stephanie, lives down the street and her son, Wendell, is keeping his eyes open for a house to go up for sale nearby.
Wearing a full elf costume, (except the tights) and a hat proclaiming ``I believe in Santa Claus,'' Triplett gazed at the lights and the children watching his house. ``It makes you feel like your work paid off,'' he said.
Triplett's sister, Hall, doesn't know why her brother gets so into decorating the house. ``He's a very, very conservative person, but when it comes to Christmas, he goes crazy,'' she said. ``To see him dressed up like an elf is funny because he's so conservative.''
The house lighting started about four years ago in a competition between Triplett and Wendell Fifield. Every year they try to outdo each other. ``I expect to see a great big arch across the street,'' said Rudy Magnussen, Fifield's father, who happens to live just around the corner.
Christmas isn't the only holiday that brings the street together. At Easter, residents host an egg-hunt party. During Fourth of July, they gather for fireworks. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by HEIDI GLICK
Joyce Fifield's home is just one of several that glow at night on
Johnson Street near King's Grant Elementary School.
Jonathan Rowsey talks to nrighbor Wendell Fifield, who dressed as
Santa, for the lighting party on Johnson Street.
by CNB