Take drive through a winter wonderland
This weekend, when you need a break from finals preparation go on a guided tour of some of Boulder’s most beautifully holiday decorated homes.
If coming from campus, venture east down Broadway, passing the Pearl Street Mall. Take a left on Pine Street and continue for a few more blocks. On your left you’ll see one of Boulder’s most traditionally decorated houses for Christmas. The “Ebin G. Fine House”, at 814 Pine Street, was built in 1890 and is accredited by the National Historic Society.
Not only is this home rich in history, but also in holiday beauty. White lights quaintly accompany the trim of the house. Powerful lights that festively accentuate the point and peak of the atrium. Along the front porch there is lit garland and red bows. On the front door sits a large green wreath with larger halogen bulbs. This house stays true to its historic roots with its conservative yet unique decorations.
Next, drive up Pine Street a few more blocks until you see house number 522 on the left. This house is truly magnificent. The first thing that caught my eye was the two pine trees in the yard, each reaching easily 40-feet tall. The trees were weighed down with the load of the recent snow and the branches slumped.
Draped around the entire tree are white lights that illuminate both of the trees’ green color against the white snow. The house’s balcony is lit with real wreaths and garland, making a very pretty ensemble. The front fence is decorated with red bows and green cross- swooping garland.
The neighboring house must have been in on the plan, because it is just as astonishing. House number 590 features a huge pine tree nearly 60-feet tall that is decorated with volleyball-sized illuminated ornaments all the way to the top. The ornaments have all different holiday colors. This house also expresses its festivity with a lit wreath on the front door and a lighted entrance arch.
By hanging a right at the next intersection, find your way to 7th Street. At the crossing of Maxwell and 7th you will find a house that probably had to turn off its heat to afford the electricity to keep all the lights on. 707 7th St. is the “Sawyer Residence”, a California style home with easily over a million lights. This one is the most decorative of the entire tour, so it’s a good one to end on.
The front yard’s chokecherry trees are lined with red lights and a large oak tree has its numerous trunks wrapped in blue, red and orange. The bushes around the house are filled with what looks like glowing berries of pink, blue, orange, and green. The walkway up to the front door is lit by different colored globes on rods sticking about a foot off the ground. The house is decked out with icicle-style lights on both the first and second story trim pieces. From every atrium there are illuminated ornaments of red, gold and green.
There are plenty of other beautifully decorated homes in this neighborhood and others all around the city.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Daniel Carter at daniel.carter@thecampuspress.com
