The Christmas season means the home of Ellettsville’s Jerry Davis becomes a public attraction of Christmas lights and decorations.
But this year, the labor of love put him in the hospital.
On his 49th birthday Sunday, Davis fell about 15 feet from a tree while hanging Christmas lights. He has five broken ribs, a punctured lung, a concussion and a bruised femur.
Despite the fall, Davis’s spirit is not shaken. Being in the hospital, he said, has given him the chance to tell more people about his Christmas display.
Davis has been decorating his house for about 20 years. Starting with just a few strands of lights, he now has over a half- million lights, about 70 blow ups, an additional 80 decorations like snowflakes and stars and around 50 for smaller decorations like candles and canes.
Read more: "We're Pretty Well Maxed Out" Ellettsville Holiday Display Features Half Million Lights
Unlike kids growing up who wanted to be a fireman or police officer, Davis wanted to be Santa Claus.
“I know that's a little different, but I think it was just because I saw how much joy people get from, you know, receiving presents,” Davis said. “I love to give gifts, and that's my gift to Ellettsville, or the kids there, Bloomington.”
While lying in a hospital bed, Davis said he puts lights in the tree so kids on school busses can see them as well as people coming over a hill.
“Because some kids don't ever even get to see it, except when they just drive by on another street or something,” he said. “Their parents won't come down and school busses come down that way. So I made things wide and tall as we can, so you can see them as far as you can.”
Davis’s son Tre Bower is helping finish the display. Bower has been helping his dad ever since he was a kid.
Christmas decorating has become a father-son bonding activity for Davis and Bower. Bower said now it’s his time to carry the torch.
“The next morning was like, I gotta finish this, not just for the community and not just for the sake of Christmas (and not just for) the sake of getting something done we already started,” Bower said. “You know, to get the job done, but for him.”
The lights should be done next week, Davis said. They come on around 4 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. until New Year’s Day at 503 W. Ritter St.
Davis plans to continue to do his Christmas display.
“That's what it's all about, is memories,” he said. “And in the end, that's all we have, are these great memories. And I want to be a part of as many of those I can be a part of.”
