King and Queen of lights

Anyone who’s bobbed along Newport Harbor during the holiday season,

especially during the annual Christmas Boat Parade, has seen Gay

Wassall-Kelly and Bill Kelly’s peninsula house.

It’s impossible to miss.

Whether it be the blow-up figures, the sheer brilliance of lights

or just Gay Wassall-Kelly in her costume, something is sure to stand

out -- way out.

And as much fun as it all is, there’s a lot of work behind the

scenes, weeks of decorating that doesn’t even include the shopping

trips to buy new lights and decorations.

In the midst of all the craziness, Gay Wassall-Kelly managed to

find time to answer a few questions from Pilot Managing Editor S.J.

Cahn about the yearly, much-loved ordeal.

How long have you been decorating your house and what got you

started?

We have been decorating our home since 1992. We would decorate a

small Ficus tree that I had given my parents on their 50th wedding

anniversary in a pot in the front yard with lights and ornaments.

Next, we put up the wooden candy canes my dad made in the ‘70s. I

began to create “yard art” (oversize figures) for every season in

late 1994. I designed a Santa and an angel in 1996 and we made ice

cycles from strands of lights we had! Much to our surprise, we won

first place in the Ring of Lights. We were hooked. The next year I

designed a Christmas tree dress out of green tulle, decorated it and

added battery operated lights. That was a hit!

How long does it typically take to put up the decorations, and can

you walk us through some of the more difficult moments?

Today, some nine years later it takes our family over a month to

decorate from the inside out!

Week 1: We start on the inside with the tree. Bill strings the

lights on the tree. I’m not methodical enough (engineer coming out).

One full day to get the ornaments just right, then we move to the

piano, stairs, windows, mantle, above the bar, breakfront, front

door, the kitchen and the bathroom ... all illuminated and a holiday

scene in each one. Hang oversized ornaments in the windows and the

plate that states: “You can never over decorate.” The grandkids have

their own tree that they hang either handmade ornaments on or ones

they have collected.

Week 2. Front of house. Hang the giant Santa flag -- bottom says

“Ho, Ho, Ho.” Lighted arch in our yard ... ice cycles on every

window, 10 trees spread out in the front yard, lights & decorations

on all. Wrap white lights through the fence, giant red velvet bows on

everything, place Santa and the gingerbread man up against the house.

Next move up to the balcony. In the past years we have added

inflatable figures ... this year a snowman greets you from the second

story, along with ice cycles, lighted bows and swags, two Christmas

trees and two lighted wreaths ... have to move the Kitty Litter into

our bedroom.

Week 3: The dock and the boat. Wrap the railings with red plastic

candy cane effect, ice cycles around the dock house. Bow lights and

swags around the railing. On the dock roof a border of new heavy duty

lights and hoist the lighted Christmas tree onto the roof of the

dock. Down the ramp with red wrap on the railing on the dock set up

the seven-foot blow up Christmas tree and reindeer. New this year,

lighted candy cane arch. Then comes the tug boat: ice cycles around

the hull, blow up soldier and Santa, large shiny ornaments, a lighted

tree on the stern, lighted wreaths on each side. And “Balboa Pole”

sign on the side.

Week 4: Second story roof ridge. First time this year. Now this

was scary. Bill had to climb out on the roof, hang over the side and

nail in the holders and hang over the side and put the ice cycles on

and lighted wreath in place. From the bay it looks beautiful, just

another touch for the parade participants. Also we light the railing

of the stairs up the side of the house, on the gate and entrance at

the front of the house fence and the deck on the back of the house.

Where do you store all the decorations?

We store all of our decoration in our house (creatively) under

stairs, in our closets (five of them), under beds, in the attic and

on to the garage (top, bottom and sides). You name it, it has a

decoration in it.

What’s the favorite decoration you put up?

Our favorite decorations ... hard to decide! My Christmas tree

outfit is so unique. We love that but we also love the yard art

because it is original, I design, Bill cuts out! Of course, the

blow-up figures are a big hit with people.

Do you vary where you put stuff much?

Each year we vary our placement of decorations. We draw up a plan

and change things all around. We add more lights and anything new

that we think fits!

Do you try to have a theme or message each year?

We try to go with the theme of the Parade each year. This year we

have a new palm tree and I’m going to paint my son’s old surf board

red & white to go along with “a holiday beach celebration.” We like

to decorate with all white lights and use red, green and white

decorations.

Any idea how much your electric bill rises in December?

A normal electric bill is about $65. per month. During Christmas

it is well over $200, but who is counting?

How do you power it all? Is there an elaborate system behind it

all?

No elaborate system ... to power our lights, we just pray! In

2002, we added 100 amps to our house since we used to live in

complete darkness during the holidays. If we turned on the microwave

one side of the house would go dark. We had to plug in our coffee

maker in the bathroom or take our popcorn popper up stairs and only

watch TV in our bedroom.

What awards have you won in the Ring of Lights competition and

what other attention have you received?

We have been honored with awards for decoration in the “Ring of

Lights” -- Most Traditional, Most Creative, Most Original, Best

Lights & Animation, Best Humor & Originality (two times) and the real

surprise ... Sweepstakes!

Last year the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce asked us if we

would like to be on a Home & Garden TV show “Extreme Christmas.” They

were going to 10 homes in the USA and interview families that

decorate to the “extreme” their homes. YES! It ran 12 times last year

and we got calls from all over the USA from friends and family that

we had not seen in years. It ran in November and again Dec. 14 at 11

p.m. and Dec. 25 at 4 p.m. Getting more calls this year! Love it!

That same year Megabright Ideas came to us and asked it they could

film the S.S. Michigan and our house for a book they are writing

called High Voltage Holidays.

Bill got up at 4:30 in the morning so they could have just the

right light at dawn and some two hours later as the Michigan was

idling in the bay she ran out of gas. Bill was close enough to the

dock, I pulled him in.

This year we are thrilled that A&E; Network, through the Newport

Beach Conference & Visitors Bureau recommendation by Gail Osipoff,

asked to film our home as we were decorating with family and friends

for the Ring of Lights and Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade.

The show, Ultimate HolidayTown USA, will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on

Dec. 18 on A&E.;

How long does it take to get it all down and how long does it take

you to recover?

We don’t take down the decorations until after New Year’s. It

takes us a week to take them down ... but getting all of them in the

proper place tucked away takes another week. We need to draw a chart

so we can remember where it all goes, and then we have to consider

the new stuff.

Bill never recovers! I am ready to draw up the new plans for next

Christmas about Jan. 10, Bill’s birthday.