Holiday Lights: The Backstory Behind a Display in Albuquerque

Christmas has come again and the holiday lights are all lit and ready for Santa to arrive. Albuquerque, New Mexico has one of the best holiday light displays around the Southwest. It has a distinct South West flair. Typically it involves Luminarias. I wanted to seek out something different. I wanted to find something that is more unique here. I found that in the Misler family.

While cruising around Albuquerque I noticed one particular neighborhood that, although small and not as obvious, have seriously gone all out for the holiday light displays. So I decided to go check out the people and see what made them go all out for the holidays.

Eric and Helen Misler

This couple moved to Albuquerque in 2002 after retiring as a couple. When I approached them and asked for an interview about their home decorations they were very open and warm. I particularly enjoyed their enthusiasm about the Southwest. They talked about coming to New Mexico after buying a Jeep. They said that they enjoy photography as a couple. They added that today they are living the retirement dream. They said that they have each other, their jeep to explore and a camera to record it all. So we sat down with a cup of coffee and I asked him a few questions. This is what they told me.

First I asked them why they decided to create such an elaborate light display for the holidays. They said that they were from the Midwest and missed some of the traditional lights that they had experienced there during holidays back home. I asked them how they felt about the Southwestern decor here in Albuquerque. They told me that they love it but that they wanted to create something different. I said that their display of holiday lights was just what I had been looking for. We moved on to the next question. I asked them if it cost a lot of money to keep the lights on. They said that there are several lights in the display. It did cost a little bit more than they were accustomed to paying for their electric bill but that it is their Christmas present to the neighborhood. I smiled and said that about was really sweet. Then I asked them if there were any other people on their block that had helped them work to put up their display.

They told me that they had not but that they were hoping that it would start the tradition. I mentioned that I thought that it was really neat idea. Then I asked them if they had done the display all at the same time or if it was an evolutionary thing that was created over several years. They said that they had been creating it and that it had been involving since they first started back in 2003. As you can see in the pictures, their first year basically had a tree decorated and lights in front. In the second picture you notice that they lit up the entire house as well as adding to their house and added several more tree decorations as well as trees with animated figures. Today it is truly a sight to behold as the holidays approach.

If you drive by their house you can see it for yourself. I asked them if they would like to divulge their address so that I could share it for others. They told me that the pictures could be shared but that they would prefer that it be something that is displayed to the locals. Meaning that it is for the people that happen upon it. They told me that as people drive by the house they hope that those people enjoy the lights. They added that their hope was that the people would see the house and think about the holidays. They hope it will have a warm effect that makes each guest smile each time.

So there you have it. One family in Albuquerque is living the dream of retirement during this holiday season. Their Christmas wish for you is that if you happen upon the house and upon seeing the holiday light display you will smile and have a feeling of the spirit of the warmth of love.