For two Jefferson County residents, decorating their homes for the holidays is about giving back to the community.
Dorothy “Dot” and John Tessmer have been decorating their De Soto home for Christmas for more than four decades. They also decorate their two-story house at 114 S. Second St. for Easter, Memorial Day and Halloween.
Frank Davis also has an impressive Christmas display at his home, 1527 Hwy. 61, in the Festus area.
Tessmers
Every inch of their front, back and side yard are filled with holiday decorations and inflatables. The two also decorate their balcony and the inside of their home, both upstairs and downstairs. They invite visitors to walk through the holiday display.
Dot, 72, asks that children come with parents to make sure no one stumbles over extension cords.
“We work really hard,” she said. “It gets bigger and bigger and bigger.”
Dot said the decorating keeps them busy, but they do it because residents expect it, and they delight in visitors’ comments.
“They really appreciate what I do. It makes me feel good,” she said. “We don’t do it for us. We do it for the city of De Soto.”
Dot said she and John would do their best to keep the tradition going.
Over the years, the Tessmers have had people stop by from all over the country, Dot said, adding that five soldiers made her year by taking photos of their patriotic display this past summer.
Dot said the Christmas display includes many new decorations this year, but their favorite Christmas decoration remains the 10-foot cross that her husband made. It stands behind a nativity scene.
“Dorothy and John Tessmer’s dedication to decorating is uncanny,” neighbor Mike Schmitt said. “We are renovating the house across the street, and we always like to watch people slow down or even stop to admire the lights and decorations.
“The Tessmers are the modern-day Griswolds,” Schmitt said, referencing the fictional family known for its over-the-top holiday displays in the “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” movie.
Davis
Davis, 65, said he has been decorating his home since 2015.
He said his decorations include Christmas lights, a nativity scene, snowflakes, wreaths, candy canes and four Christmas trees, as well as some holiday characters, like Scrooge, who stands on the roof next to the chimney.
“I try to add or change things up every year,” Davis said. “The core stays the same. I always try to make it a little different or better than last year.”
He said he starts putting the decorations out the first weekend of November. It takes three weekends to finish, he added.
The display stays up from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, and is lit each evening from 4:15-11 p.m.
“My grandfather used to do (Christmas decorations) in Overland,” Davis said. “He won the competition in Overland three different times. He changed it up a little every year. He made a lot of his (decorations). I’ve made some.”
Davis said he received a few of his grandfather’s decorations after his grandfather died but lost those in a fire.
Davis said he likes that the display puts a smile on people’s faces.
“That’s what the holidays are about – doing for others,” he said.
Davis, who has four grandchildren, said he’s heard that parents drive out of their way to make sure their children can see it. People have stopped by to thank him, and one group of neighbors sent him a Christmas card thanking him.