The holidays aren’t quite as jolly this year for Bob and Faye Bledsoe, but that hasn’t stopped them from completing a seasonal task that contributes to a Chattanooga tradition, decorating the Christmas windows at the downtown Miller Building.
One of the Bledsoes’ eight grandchildren died in September, but, just as they have for 21 years, the couple soldiered on and prepared the window scenes that depict Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves, as well as other animatronic characters, getting ready for the big day.
“It’s been hard for us,” said Bob Bledsoe, who also was responsible for Christmas displays when the building housed Miller Brothers Co., a former regional department store.
“We love Christmas,” said Faye Bledsoe. “We really love Christmas. We don’t have that much interest at home [where images of the late 7-year-old Bryson are present].”
It’s not the first time the couple has faced adversity in the midst of preparing the windows, which take a month to put up and a month to take down at the building now occupied by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. Several years ago, they returned from a trip out of town and found their house had burned down.
“We never missed a beat,” said Bob Bledsoe. “We were right there the next morning [and] finished them all up.”
The Bledsoes, who wouldn’t reveal their ages, said they thrive on work. Of retirement age, they nevertheless work three days a week running the cafeteria at Chattanooga Auto Auction, preparing breakfast and lunch for automobile dealers and others who come to bid on cars.
Before slowing down a bit, Bob Bledsoe arranged the background and setting at the Cotton Ball for more than 40 years and decorated the Christmas windows at Unum predecessor Provident Life and Accident Insurance Co. and at Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Eastgate office.
The 21 Miller Building windows, 20 of which have characters with moving parts, will be on display through early January.
The highlight of the windows, many say, is the Broad Street corner where Santa Claus review his list of names. That display, the Bledsoes said, has grown from one window to several because of the local names they add to the list.
This year, though, the name at the top of the list is that of their late grandson.
ABOUT THEM* Years married: 40.* Children: 5.* Grandchildren: 8.* Great-grandchildren: 1.* Jobs: Currently run cafeteria at Chattanooga Auto Auction; had wedding shop, Dream World Weddings, for 25 years.FAVORITE WINDOW* Bob: Elves preparing reindeer for Christmas in Santa’s barn.* Faye: Three baby possums listen as their mom reads them a story.FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONGBoth: “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (sung by Elvis Presley).HOBBIESBoth: Work, Georgetown farm, family.
“He’ll be dead three months Christmas Day,” said Bob Bledsoe. “He loved the windows.”
Q: How did you get started doing the Christmas windows?
A: Bob Bledsoe: I had been doing Miller Brothers Company windows for over 25 years when I retired. I started when I was 19 years old. Mr. Hundley [of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee] called Mr. Miller when they bought the Millers building and wanted to know who did the Christmas windows. They wanted to do Christmas exactly like it was when it was Miller Brothers Company. … We [went to] New York and bought all the Christmas [figures] that year. … We’ve been doing them ever since.
Q: How did the list of names on Santa’s list get so long?
A: Faye Bledsoe: People call us and say, “Would you put my grandchildrens’ name on the list. People at Blue Cross will come over and give us a piece of paper and say, “Would you please put this on the list?” School buses bring children down here to look at the windows, and they always want to look and see if their names are in the windows. So we try to get every name we think of.
Q: Do you ever go outside the displays and listen to the comments?
A: Bob Bledsoe: That is our biggest thing. We bring our grandkids down, but our biggest thrill is to come down at night and watch the kids go around, run and point. That’s where we get our big thrill with this whole thing.
AFaye Bledsoe: Soon as we open the windows, I go out and walk around and check them to be sure if everything’s working. People are lined up already when you open them now. Before we finished the windows, you’ll have little kids knock on the window. We opened them [earlier this year,] and these little boys, they were so cute, they said, “Is that real snow?” And I said, “Yeah, it’s cold in here.” They were just so cute.