© Tabi Walters

Seeing the light

Seasonal tree trimmings on Charlton

by Anita LeBlanc

posted 2/12/2013

Stephanie and Ken Faulk haven't taken down their holiday lights, but they've had no complaints from neighbors. In fact, many applaud the changing year-round light display on the six-foot evergreen at the corner of Charlton and Burwood.

The Faulks first trimmed the tree in December 2006. They kept the winter theme through January, then changed the decor to pink heart-shaped lights for Valentine's Day, shamrocks and emerald for St. Patrick's Day, and pink, yellow, and green for spring. They've updated it ever since to reflect seasonal or holiday themes, including a special August 2011 array of pink and white bulbs that let neighbors know that their daughter, Averie, had arrived.

"We get a lot of people stopping by when we're decorating, and even people knocking on our door, to thank us," says Ken. "It's a great way to meet our neighbors and create community." He adds that Stephanie is the "brains" while he is the "muscle" behind the operation--and that she's thinking of a purple, gold, and green theme for Mardi Gras.   

[Originally published in February, 2013.]