In 1996, Gladys Murray’s grandson John Sears was killed in a car wreck. In his memory, a replica of his Trans Am is outlined in blue lights among Santa and his reindeer.

Last year, Gladys Murray asked her children to build a sled scene with four horses. Lewis said it represented her grandmother’s childhood in Nebraska.

“I think she knew last year that it was her last Christmas,” Lewis said. “She bought a lot of keepsake gifts for everyone. All of her daughters got Thomas Kinkade winter boxes. The grandsons got different knife sets, and the granddaughters got porcelain dolls.”

Lewis said her family will get together once again this year in her grandmother’s empty house, in the glow of her light display, to share Christmas traditions.

“We’re still going to have Christmas there, but it won’t be the same,” she said.

Over the years, the display touched many people who were not members of the family. Lewis said there have always been those who slowed down to look at the lights, but over the years, many made it an annual tradition to bring their families to see the lights.

Those families will have to find somewhere else to see Christmas lights next year. Lewis said the display is large enough to make maintaining it difficult, and several of her family members have health problems that hamper their everyday abilities.

“She made us promise we’d put them up one last time, and this will be the last time,” Lewis said.

Ice storm

This month’s ice storm darkened Christmas Corner for a few days, but the display survived.

“Some scenery got damaged during the storm, but Joseph, Mary and the baby are OK,” Threasa Lewis said. “We only lost two camels and a donkey.”