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Delores Dermott loves Christmas … and her home reflects it.
Delores and her husband, Jeff, have been married for 18 years – and when their relationship began, was when the lights first shined. Delores said they first decorated their flagpole in their first home in Alba, and it's progressed ever since. This year there are, at the least, 6,000 lights twinkling outside the Dermott home with eight timers, and that's not counting the sunroom or the inside of the house.
“This is nothing compared to what we usually do, but life's been a whirlwind this year,” Delores said. “I think this year my favorite outside decoration is the trees my grandkids decorated.”
The inside of the Dermott home is decorated from the floor to the ceiling with Christmas-everything. There's singing dogs, a farting Santa and a toy themed “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.” An electric 20-year-old Santa Claus tree topper keeps watch over the house at the top of the Christmas tree, and a parachuting Santa travels on a zip-line across the living room when activated by a loud noise.
“Our friend Hawk was visiting once and laughed really hard, and it activated the Santa,” Delores said with a laugh. “He said, 'well, I'll never do that again.'”
As Christmas viewers approach the home, they enter a 500-foot lane lined with strands of lights. At the end of the lane, a festive gate keeps the home secure with a holiday wreath and a nativity scene off to the left – keeping the true meaning of Christmas in mind as viewers enjoy the lighting splendor.
In the backyard, the Star of David hangs high on the barn, and another star tops a 9-foot display. In the front, newly planted trees that the Dermott's three grandchildren decorated are in the display with Santa and a tall, bright stand with a cross on top. Normally, the sunroom resembles a winter cottage. The front of the house is illuminated with homemade, colorful luminaries. Majority of the outside displays were created by the Dermotts.
“This year it took us two weeks to do all of this,” Delores said. “Normally it takes us three weeks to do the outside and two weeks to do the inside … We enjoy it. We love being able to see people come out and enjoy it.”
And enjoy it they have. The Dermott home has won first place in the Jasper lighting contest three times, second place a couple times and has placed in other top favorites over the years. Delores says they welcome visiting viewers from neighbors in the local area to travelers from Kansas City.
The Dermott home is located at 7701 Nutmeg Road, which is east of Carthage. This year, the decorations will be taken down on Dec. 26.
“We're at the three corners,” Delores said. “We have a Carthage address, an Avilla phone and we're in the Jasper school district … We'll keep decorating for as long as we can.”
Delores Dermott loves Christmas … and her home reflects it.
Delores and her husband, Jeff, have been married for 18 years – and when their relationship began, was when the lights first shined. Delores said they first decorated their flagpole in their first home in Alba, and it's progressed ever since. This year there are, at the least, 6,000 lights twinkling outside the Dermott home with eight timers, and that's not counting the sunroom or the inside of the house.
“This is nothing compared to what we usually do, but life's been a whirlwind this year,” Delores said. “I think this year my favorite outside decoration is the trees my grandkids decorated.”
The inside of the Dermott home is decorated from the floor to the ceiling with Christmas-everything. There's singing dogs, a farting Santa and a toy themed “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.” An electric 20-year-old Santa Claus tree topper keeps watch over the house at the top of the Christmas tree, and a parachuting Santa travels on a zip-line across the living room when activated by a loud noise.
“Our friend Hawk was visiting once and laughed really hard, and it activated the Santa,” Delores said with a laugh. “He said, 'well, I'll never do that again.'”
As Christmas viewers approach the home, they enter a 500-foot lane lined with strands of lights. At the end of the lane, a festive gate keeps the home secure with a holiday wreath and a nativity scene off to the left – keeping the true meaning of Christmas in mind as viewers enjoy the lighting splendor.
In the backyard, the Star of David hangs high on the barn, and another star tops a 9-foot display. In the front, newly planted trees that the Dermott's three grandchildren decorated are in the display with Santa and a tall, bright stand with a cross on top. Normally, the sunroom resembles a winter cottage. The front of the house is illuminated with homemade, colorful luminaries. Majority of the outside displays were created by the Dermotts.
“This year it took us two weeks to do all of this,” Delores said. “Normally it takes us three weeks to do the outside and two weeks to do the inside … We enjoy it. We love being able to see people come out and enjoy it.”
And enjoy it they have. The Dermott home has won first place in the Jasper lighting contest three times, second place a couple times and has placed in other top favorites over the years. Delores says they welcome visiting viewers from neighbors in the local area to travelers from Kansas City.
The Dermott home is located at 7701 Nutmeg Road, which is east of Carthage. This year, the decorations will be taken down on Dec. 26.
“We're at the three corners,” Delores said. “We have a Carthage address, an Avilla phone and we're in the Jasper school district … We'll keep decorating for as long as we can.”
