The Christmas House

Bill & Sandra Montgomery

Mark Levin, writer & photographer

(additional photos submitted by Bill Montgomery & Ken Toney)

Chances are if you’ve ever driven I-26 East toward Exit 5 (Campobello) during this time of year you’ve noticed a cheery glow up the hill on the right. It’s impossible to miss. And for thousands of people each year, they take that exit and within minutes jumpstart their Christmas spirit. You can’t help but be moved by this incredible display of holiday lights and scenes at Bill & Sandra Montgomery’s “The Christmas House.”

Bill & Sandra look forward to the Christmas season just about as much as kids – and maybe more. It’s in Sandra’s DNA for sure and somehow or other that has taken hold in Bill.

Sandra’s dad, James Blackwell, started putting on this festive show in 1973. At the time James was head of maintenance at Bigelow Sanford in Landrum and was put in charge of decorating the company’s property. That set off a spark in James’s mind and that ignited an idea to start decorating the home that was built in 1884. James’s wife, Doris, must have given her nod of approval because decorating the Blackwell home was underway. And now, 47 years later it is one of the most visited winter attractions in the Upstate. Officially the house is now referred to as “The Christmas House.” It’s an obvious choice for an appropriate name.

Bill & Sandra took over the house and grounds decorating in 2005 and have made this a mission of love. They live for this season, which begins the second weekend in October when the first decorations are moved from their storage buildings to the grounds. But the planning has been put into place well before the October framework begins. Setting up for something of this scale takes a small army made up of relatives, neighbors, and friends. On some days as many as a dozen elves are on-site helping with the setup and late in the evening it might be just Bill out there taking care of ever last detail.

This is no small operation. Every single item is checked and repairs or rebuilds are made when necessary. Just about all of the displays are homemade and even store-bought items are reimagined to make them better. Bill and Sandra estimate that this year’s display contains over 120,000 bulbs. Their power bill nearly triples during this season but they say it’s worth every penny to see the joy it brings people. Folks have told them that they came as a child and now they bring their own kids. No doubt thirty years from now, those kids will be bringing their own wide-eyed youngsters.

Bill keeps photos of each year’s display to help remember just where they had everything placed the year before. But things change. New ideas are constantly brewing in their minds. Bill mentioned a couple of ideas already on the drawing board for the 2020 version, but I’m sworn to secrecy. But he did let it slip out that he’s adding a “pixel mega tree” for this year. It’s all about being organized and being creative. Bill and Sandra live for this and see it as one way they can remind people that Jesus is the “reason for the season.”

Families driving through are caught up in the moment and probably can’t appreciate what it takes to make this happen. Just last year alone they had to buy 15,000 light bulbs to make sure they had what they needed. Bill says one of the best things to happen recently was the introduction of LEDs, making lighting the displays more energy efficient. The extra expense to upgrade bulbs is worth it. It’s a good thing their son-in-law is an electrician as plenty of upgrades had to be made over the years.

Even with that, it’s not simple to get this show running each evening. The miniature donkeys get moved from the pasture into their viewing barn and then about ten minutes before opening, Bill has to flip 14 switches and plug in four outlets. At that point, Bill and Sandra retreat into their beautiful home (also decorated) and watch a Hallmark Christmas movie as the real entertainment outside begins.

Bill and Sandra do this for the enjoyment of others and to help remind everyone that we’re celebrating the birthday of Jesus. Sandra says, “That’s what Christmas is all about. We want to keep traditions going and to keep family close. We want something families can do to help keep them connected to each other.”

The Christmas House opens every year on Thanksgiving night and closes on New Year’s Eve. Hours are 5:30 until 10, though if you’re in line at 10…Bill keeps it open. There is no charge. Visitors can leave a donation if they wish and often Bill and Sandra will find coins left by a child in a plastic bag in the donation box or a hand-scribbled note or card. They love to read how much the children, and the adults, love this place.

If you weren’t in the holiday mood before driving in, you will be by the time you leave. And as many people do, they get back in line and go through again…and again. And you can be sure they’re already planning to be back next year. Looking into the future, Sandra wistfully mentions that she has a daughter and a granddaughter that are showing a sincere interest in keeping The Christmas House going for another 47 years and beyond.

Bill has a tagline he uses on his occasional videos he posts, and that is “Come out and see the lights and hear the sounds of Christmas at The Christmas House.” I can assure you, the invitation is genuine.

We’re the lucky ones.

More To Know:

The Christmas House is located at 360 Foster Road, Inman. Your GPS will bring you right there but if that starts to fizzle, you can’t miss it. The Montgomery’s suggest you visit Monday through Thursday to avoid the biggest of the lines. They do ask that all visitors remain in their car because of plenty of trip hazards. You can ride through as many times as you wish and look for your favorite scenes from last year and new ones that are added each year.