It takes work to keep up traditions within neighborhoods, even more so when those neighborhoods happen to be right next to one of the largest Army bases in the world.
Thankfully, Tina Young, and many of her neighbors, aren’t opposed to putting in a little elbow grease.
Young has lived in the Kinwood neighborhood since the 1970s. Sometime in the 1980s, Kinwood started helping and participating in the neighborhood Woodhaven Garden Club. A staple of the clubs is the now-known Kinwood Luminaries.
Even though the garden club was disbanded in the early 2000s, Young still helps with the Kinwood Luminaries. This decades-long tradition consists of placing candles in paper bags and lining most of the homes and neighborhood for a night in December.
Typically, the homeowners usually do the second Saturday in December. This year, the event will occur on Dec. 14th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
While most viewers come to see a sea of lights that goes on and on, they get surprises from homeowners as well who want to add more to the festivities.
“One of the homes has their big speakers out and plays Christmas music,” Young says. “It’s just beautiful. You don’t even want to drive by, you want to walk by. Some do candy canes or puppet shows. There’s Santa Claus.”
Young says all the extra beyond the twinkling lights in the night are up to the individual homeowners.
Each homeowner that participates will purchase bags and lights from the committee with all the proceeds going to the upkeep of the neighborhood sign throughout the year.
Then the homeowners will place the bags out that night. This can be kind of tricky for the older homeowners, but their neighbors are always willing to help, Young says. They will come out to help those who can’t place the bags and take them back up again after the event.
The coordinator, Mary Elliott, will find teenagers to come help those homeowners.
“We all look out for each other. I think that’s one of the reasons the luminary event has always lasted,” she says. “People live such busy lives. This gives us time to catch up.”
And while riders will get to see the lights, the homeowners can usually be seen outside saying hello or watching the magic of what they’ve created on the faces of those who come from all over town to see flickering lights piercing holes in the dark of a December night.
“You just never know what you are going to see. My son, when he was young, said, ‘I’m going to dress in all red and stand on the front porch and play my trumpet.’”
Young laughs retelling the story. For a few years, Young’s son continued to stand on their porch during the event and play the trumpet.
As years have passed, some neighbors have moved on, but Young is so proud when new neighbors move in and they recount how they would always attend the event and now, they get to participate in it too.
The event is open to anyone to drive in and see the lights, and enjoy the spirit of Christmas. It will take ten to twenty minutes to get through the drive, according to Young.
As far as how many will attend, Young laughs.
“Well,” she says, “between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., we can have bumper-to-bumper traffic. I couldn’t tell you how many people go through. We do have a pretty good participation.”
The neighborhood consists of about 300 homes and Methodist University also typically participates in the event since the neighborhood backs right up to the school.
“It’s festive. We get a lot of participation”
Kinwood neighborhood is located off Ramsey St., just passed Methodist University, on Kinlaw Rd.