Lighting up Silver Springs with holiday spirit

Anyone in Silver Springs who has caught the Christmas spirit enough to decorate their homes or businesses has until today to sign up for the community's Christmas light contest.

The prize is $25 for the winner.

The contest is sponsored by the Silver Springs Chamber of Commerce and includes homes and businesses in the community.

Organizer Bobbie Hughes, office manager for the chamber, said there are only about eight entries so far, but expects more will sign up by the deadline at 5 p.m. today.

She said it was free to enter the contest.

"In the past there was a fee, but we're not charging this year," she said.

She said there are no rules, limits or requirements other than being located inside the community of Silver Springs.

"Just anyone that wants to enter," she said.

The displays will be judged on both lighting and nonlighted decorations, Hughes said, adding that some of the displays are elaborate.

"Some have deer in the front yard and others have more," she said. "There's a lot of yard stuff, with the trees decorated. Some people did some really good work out here. And there are lots of the inflatable Santas and snow globes."

This is the first year for the Jara family, who went all out decorating their Winnemucca Street home.

"We're fairly new to the area," said Raylena Jara, whose husband, Roy, and children Shayna, 13, Gabbi, 13, and Joey, 6, put up their display.

"My husband put up a big cross on the side of our house," she said. "He put lights all over the house and on the fence."

She said her husband drilled holes in a board to spell out "Merry Christmas" then filled the holes with lights.

"They all pitched in to do this while mom was working," she said. "It's really kind of cool. I never saw anyone do this before. The lights from the fence all go toward the house. It's pretty neat and it's really bright."

Trendsetter Homes owner Vanessa Stewart entered her business in the contest.

"We just decided to light up the corner and make Silver Springs look pretty as the gateway to Lahontan," she said.

Her manufactured homes sales office at the corner of highways 50 and 95A is decorated with Christmas lights, as is her fence and entry.

She said community spirit led her to sign up, one of few businesses in the area that put up decorations, she said.

"It's my first year in my own business in Silver Springs and I thought it would be nice to show some community spirit."

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 881-7351.