“It would take literally an hour to go through our small neighborhood, a couple cul-de-sacs, 100 houses or less - it was bumper to bumper,” Elliott said.
He and his wife, Angela, moved to the neighborhood a few years ago and found out the man playing Santa had passed away.
Recently, the couple saw the man’s Ramar holiday sign for sale online.
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“You can’t get rid of that sign - that is a part of Ramar. It has been there for years,” Kevin Elliott told his wife.
They both agreed and decided to “jump right in” by buying the sign and bringing the tradition back to the neighborhood.
By restarting this tradition, it allows older people to relive their childhood memories and children to experience something they will never forget, Kevin Elliott explained.
He stands on the roof on the weekends - waving, saying Merry Christmas, and dancing. Angela stands in the front yard passing out candy-canes with their children.
“It’s a fun time for us,” he said. “Some people remember this from their childhood - it’s great to bring their memories back and they can bring their kids and grand-kids now through the same thing.”
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The neighborhood has not had a lot of traffic in the last several years to view the lights, but about half of the neighborhood still decorates, he said.
One house has a Grinch theme.
“We’re trying to bring some of that holiday back - a lot of kids don’t get a fun holiday and don’t get to remember this kind of stuff,” he said.
Next year, he plans to have steady hours and more consecutive days.
Santa will be on the roof 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 14 and 6:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 15. The last weekend before Christmas, he will be on the roof 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 20, 21, and 22.
For more information, search for Ramar Estates Santa & Lights! on Facebook.
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