Family tradition becomes tribute to a father

Every year growing up, Amanda Shipkey, 16, and her dad decorated their Costa Mesa house to the hilt for Christmas.

They spared no expense and didn’t leave a twinkling, colored light unlit. But when Amanda’s dad, Steve Shipkey, died of a heart attack at the age of 48, she understandably didn’t feel like diving headfirst into the Christmas spirit like she once did.

“Mostly I used to watch my dad do it all with some of his crew members — he was a fisherman,” Amanda said. “My house would always be so colorful.”

But after four years of letting it pass or simply putting up a few lights, this year Amanda was ready to decorate their Magnolia Street house in a big way. They also wanted to inspire their neighbors to decorate, but of course they liked being one of the first.

She and her mother took about two days to put up lights, reindeer, Santa, candy canes and everything Christmas from the roof to the white picket fence that lines the sidewalk outside the house.

“We just never felt like it was right because dad wasn’t there…. Last year was the hardest year out of all of them,” Amanda said. “But now I just, I want every part of him to be around me.”

The Shipkeys were inspired by the joyous memories they shared, so last week, the pair went shopping to find just the right decorations. From the lights in all the frontyard bushes to the Santa and reindeer popping out of the chimney — the house is a spotlight of Christmas cheer.

“I always have fun when I decorate,” Amanda said. “This is just something that makes us happy with each other, so it’s really fun for both of us.”

To get it just right deals had to be made between mom and daughter.

“My mom always likes doing white lights, so I made a bargain with her,” Amanda said. “We could do white lights on the Christmas tree as long as we had colored lights on the outside.”

Amanda, her mom and her uncle started decorating on Thanksgiving morning so they could flip the switch the day after, which many consider the true start of the Christmas season.

When they were done, so many lights went into the job — about 15 boxes of the big colored lights Amanda likes and about six boxes of white icicle lights — Jennifer Shipkey was initially worried the light may bother neighbors at night, but so far she’s received no complaints.

Now that the house is decked out, mom and daughter want to share their Christmas spirit with everyone.

“I just want everyone to come out and have that Christmas cheer,” Jennifer Shipkey said.

On Saturday night, Jennifer Shipkey said she planned to invite neighbors over and possibly have Santa Claus pay a visit. They hope their neighborly cheer will be infectious.

Although this time of year is most difficult for the family, Jennifer and Amanda Shipkey said they know Amanda’s dad would be proud of their work.

“He’d be proud of the decorations,” Jennifer Shipkey said. “I always tell Amanda he can see everything we do, and he’d be happy.”