For Jim and Janet Roberson, Christmas is definitely the most wonderful time of the year. But for this Soddy-Daisy couple, the holiday never truly stops.
While many of their neighbors on Igou Ferry Road decorate their yards, the Robersons definitely stand out, with every conceivable type of holiday ornamentation covering every inch of grass. But inside is where the real magic happens.
During the months of November and December, the only lights used in the Roberson home are Christmas lights.
As soon as you walk in the door, you are confronted with the largest Christmas village imaginable, with each themed piece artfully arranged. Janet Roberson said throughout the house she has nearly 600 pieces on display, and she has a story to share about each one, including how and where she came by it, and which of her children or grandchildren considers it a favorite.
All year, Janet Roberson searches online stores as well as aftermarket, yard and estate sales and local stores such as Colony 13 for holiday décor. When traveling to locales such as Myrtle Beach, S.C., or Pigeon Forge, she always makes a stop when she sees a Christmas shop. (Her all-time favorite is Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge.)
Jim Roberson fixes any broken items during the summer, as they are too busy decorating in the fall to deal with malfunctions, he said.
The decorating process commences in October, and typically takes about six to eight weeks. Before this can happen, they must move most of the furniture into the garage to make way for their vast collection of holiday items.
“It’s almost like moving,” Jim Roberson said of the process of converting their home into a Christmas wonderland and back again, adding that taking everything down causes a depression akin to the feeling one gets when packing up after a vacation in Florida.
For the past 13 years, the couple has hosted an open house over a weekend in December, filling their table with food and sharing their months of hard work with anyone who wants to come.
About 150 people, some of whom the Robersons had never met, came through the home this year during the open house.
“It’s amazing how it has spread, just by word of mouth,” said Janet Roberson.
Jim Roberson said they will likely get more calls and people stopping by before New Year’s, when they start to dismantle the displays.
“I don’t think we’d continue to do it if it weren’t for the people that come year after year,” Janet Roberson said, adding that people often tell her that visiting the home makes their Christmas. “My favorite part is just to see them with that smile on their face.”
“Kids come here and they just want to stay and sleep in it,” her husband said with a laugh.
The couple’s two oldest grandchildren love to give tours to guests at the annual open house, their granddaughter so much so that she cries when the decorations go down.
“We’re hoping this tradition will be passed down,” said Janet Roberson.
The seed was planted for her love of holiday decor when her father, an employee of Chattanooga Coca-Cola Bottling Company for 48 years, brought her a Coca-Cola-themed Santa that she absolutely loved when she was around 4 or 5.
In 1993, holiday collectible manufacturer Department 56 released a Coca-Cola bottling plant figurine, and that kicked off the collection that fills the Robersons’ home today.
For 39 years, Jim Roberson has worked for Coke, where he serves as operations manager. One room of the home is filled entirely with Coke-themed décor, including more village collectibles, a Christmas tree covered in Coke ornaments and several Coke Santas, including the childhood gift from Janet Roberson’s father.
Several more rooms contain village collectibles, trees with different themes, Santa statues in various sizes, dancing figurines singing holiday tunes, and much more. Even the bathroom has its own Christmas tree.
Janet Roberson arranges all the decorations herself, changing it up every year as she continues to add to her collection.
“A lot of people like to come just to see what’s new,” said Jim Roberson.
Some come every year to see old decorations they sold to the Robersons once they were no longer able to put them up at their own homes.
“They’ll just sit in the driveway and look at the house,” said Janet Roberson.
She said one time she noticed a man looking at the house and thought she saw him putting something in a tree in the yard. When she went to look, there was an ornament in the tree that said “Best Lights.”
“Those are the things that let you know it means something to someone,” she said.
After the start of the year, the couple typically spends a few minutes in each room relishing the Christmas spirit one last time before taking everything down, returning each item to the box from which it came..
Email Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com.