In the yard at State Road 135 and Edgewood Avenue, dozens of inflatable Christmas decorations danced in the breeze.
Santa Claus blasted off in a “Space Sleigh” rocket, floated in a hot-air balloon and rode in a helicopter. He chugged along on a tractor and lounged back on a motorcycle.
All around him, dancing snowmen, a Christmas robot and polar bears swayed around Cathy Garrigus.
“I told my husband I was going to fill this yard up from one side to the other, and that’s what I’ve done,” she said. “People really enjoy it. Total strangers leave us cards and thank us for what we’ve done.”
Garrigus and her husband, Billy, have lived on the corner lot for 10 years. She started decorating her yard to entertain her grandson but has captured the attention of holiday light-lookers from throughout central Indiana.
People often turn off into her neighborhood, lining the side of the road and getting out for a closer look. Church groups come through to see the inflatables, and buses have stopped in front of the house.
“It’s why I do it, just for the reaction of the people,” Garrigus said. “I’m just so thankful that people enjoy it.”
Her collection started with about five decorations, before she had moved to the southside. With a large enough yard, she started searching out deals to add to her display.
The best time to buy inflatables is the day after Christmas, she said. By planning ahead, she can often get a great deal on a new piece for the following year.
“I wait until they’re 75 percent off, so I can get more of them,” she said. “When I see a deal, it’s hard to pass it up.”
Christmas isn’t the only time Garrigus goes all-out in her yard decor. During Halloween, she fills the lawn with monsters and other creepy displays.
But the holiday season allows her to put her decorating spirit to the test.
“I try to be the prettiest house on the block,” she said.
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Where: 10 E. Edgewood Ave., Indianapolis
What: Dozens of inflatable decorations filling the yard at the corner of State Road 135 and Edgewood Avenue.
Who: Cathy and Billy Garrigus
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