Resident Carol Mialback, one of Inspirada holiday lights contest winners in 2013, cannot imagine not illuminating her Henderson home in grand style every season. Since she was 18 years old and on her own, she has been inspired to decorate in the tradition of her parents and go “all out.”
After winning in 2013, she was already thinking about how to decorate for the 2014 holidays.
“My mom did the inside, my dad did the outside,” she recalled of how her parents shared decorating responsibilities. “I had a wonderful childhood. Even though we didn’t have a lot of money, my mother and father made sure that we three kids had a beautiful Christmas.”
The holiday lights contest is just one of many resident-centered events that are planned at Inspirada for neighbors to connect and celebrate. These Henderson homes are nominated by their admirers, and the winners are selected by a resident committee to receive gift cards for their creative work. Residents Ron and Penny Bennett and residents Edgar Menendez and Claudia Santillan also took Henderson home prizes for their glowing displays.
Santillan shared not one, but two, sources of decorating inspiration – her love of the holidays and the seasonal lights of her childhood.
“Growing up, we used to drive around neighborhoods, looking to see what area had the most houses decorated and best decorated. I looked forward to it each year and loved the enthusiasm that people showed by decorating their homes. I thought, ‘one day, I’m going to have a home and do that too’,” said Santillan.
“One of the things we like about Inspirada is the community feel and activities, like the holiday lights contest. We love going all out. This year, it was extra special because my 2 ½-year-old daughter was out there helping us decorate. She kept stepping on and breaking the lights, but it’s an experience I wanted to share with her. It will become our tradition from now on.”
