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Towering inflatable Santas line neighborhood
Kylie Jones reports
LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. - Saint Nicholas is keeping an extra close eye on the Sapphire Point neighborhood in Lakewood Ranch this Christmas season.
Neighbors had a fun idea to spread Christmas joy, and it spread even quicker than they expected.
"I saw a video on Instagram of a street in Toronto, Canada that had done something similar, where every house was lined up with Santas," said Brianna Wener, a neighbor.
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Wener said she wanted to try to do something similar in Sapphire Point. She said their street started putting up 30-foot inflatable Santas in their front yards, and the trend spread quickly.
"It’s about bringing the joy of Christmas," Wener said.
Soon enough, dozens of homes had an inflatable Santa in their front yards. Neighbors are calling the idea the "Sapphire Santas."
"We have people from neighborhoods around telling us about it, and they’re coming in just to do drive-thrus around the neighborhood, so they can see it," Sarah Olinger, another neighbor, said.
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Neighbors said the kids and parents have both gotten into the excitement of putting up the inflatable decorations each night.
"I think it’s really fun coming home from school, going to soccer and just seeing all the Santas," Kate Olinger, a neighbor, said. "It’s just really festive."
Some neighbors have added their own twist to their display, adding other inflatables or decorations.
"So many kids are taking golf carts with their parents around the neighborhood at night, playing Christmas music while they look at the different Santas, and it really has been about our community coming together," Wener said.
Neighbors said there are 70 houses participating and more are still joining in.
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"My little one thinks that it’s a good reason for Santa to be able to see our neighborhood," Sarah Olinger said.
Neighbors hope this will become a tradition for years to come, and they’re already thinking about how they can take things up another notch next year.
"We really have someone’s childhood in our hands, so building these memories for them, especially at the holidays, is so important," Wener said.
Wener said it’s brought her joy to be able to see a small idea grow into such an exciting activity for the whole neighborhood.