The Jim and Marilyn Page family have been putting up their large Christmas display for more than 30 years and Marilyn says they still get a huge response.
“We still have an awful lot of cars come by each year,” she said, while noting that times have changed just a bit for the annual tradition. “Jim used to put on a Santa suit and hand out candy canes to the kids in the cars for the four hours the display was lit. But then the house burnt down around 1984 and we lost the suit. We couldn’t afford to replace it.”
Marilyn added that they used to run a train outside as part of the display but also discontinued that ritual after the fire.
The display, which is one of the largest in the county with a myriad of lights and hand painted cartoon figures has caught the attention of the local newspaper more than once.
“When Shane was just 3, a T-R photographer was here and just caught a photo of him wrapping a cord around Jesus’ neck,” said Page. “It was kind of funny.”
There was another photo of the family and their display when twin sons, Matt and Tim were small. “We were holding them in the photo,” she said.
On Christmas Eve, of 2002, Tim decided to propose to his then girfriend of 5 yeras, Katie Johnson. With a lot of help and planning a 6′ by 26′ sign was created and placed amongst the holiday sparkle and painted characters.
“I was shocked,” Katie said at the time, while noting that people were curious about her answer after seeing the sign. Katie joked that Tim should erect a new sign that stated: “She said YES!”
While they stood outside admiring Tim’s handiwork, a car drove by and stopped. A man they didn’t know rolled down his car window and yelled, “Did she say yes?” The couple confirmed that she had.
Tim explained during an interview with the T-R that Katie had told him previously that when he asked her to marry him that he had better do it in a way that means something to him.
“And as you can see, Christmas lights have always been special around here,” he said, looking around. The couple were married on June 19, of 2004 and have a daughter Matilyn Elizabeth. They reside in Tuscarawas.
The family continues to put up and improve the display that sits along Goshen Valley Dr. and State Route 416 each year about this time. It wouldn’t be Christmas in Goshen without it!