4K THE PALM BEACH POST • SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2005

4K FINALCYANMAGENTAYELLOWBLACK

THE NOVAKS

Stories by Janis Fontaine

Spread the cheer online!View more photos of local displays, and send

photos of your house at PalmBeachPost.com/Holidays

More than 200 peopleshowed up for the annuallighting ceremony at theNovaks’ house.

“We had hot chocolate andfood for the guests,” Dan said,“thanks to Mr. Allen from ourlocal Publix and Jim fromCarmella’s, who donated thepizzas.”

The Novaks’ display boasts agiant candy-cane tunnel about100 feet long, a 20-foot-tallChristmas tree, 5,000 greenlights on the fence, a “MerryChristmas” sign displayed onthe roof, which has 8,000 redand green lights.

The yard is trimmed out with10,000 rope lights, plus lots of

lawn figurines such as reindeer,snowmen, and angels, a hugeSanta, the Grinch, and soldiers.

Directions: I-95 to HypoluxoRoad. Go west to Military Trail,and turn left (south). Go ahalf-mile, turn right on DolphinDrive and go to the end. Make aleft, and you’ll see the glow 50yards down on the left.

‘I think the lights reflect the happiness we share in our home. Christmaslets everyone know how loved and appreciated they are.’ — Kimberly Novak

With help from her nephew, SeanAtteberry, 21, and her niece, Ashley,19, Lisa Potts paints an elaboratescene on her garage door each year.It started out to be a onetime thing:Potts was going to replace the doorand thought she’d have some funwith it before throwing it out.

She began with SpongeBobSquarepants, then Nemo, then Shrek.Potts said it’s a little sad each year topaint over the previous year’s work.This year, it was Easter before Pottsgot out the paint and roller.

“We decided at the end of lastyear that we were becoming too pre-dictable,” Potts said. The day afterWilma, they got started. They choseMonsters Inc.

“My favorite part is that someonestarts something, and someone elsemight come along and finish it,” shesaid. “Like, Ashley started a charac-ter, and she got to a certain point, andshe was getting frustrated. I said,‘You’re tired, just go,’ and two dayslater, she came back, and I had justtweaked a few things, and everyonewas happy. Then Sean hit a block,and he had to leave, and Ashley came

and kicked butt.” Potts is a Little League umpire

who helped coach the East BoyntonLittle League team that won the na-tional championship in 2003. But Hur-ricane Wilma pulled the rug out fromunder the team, which might not havea field to play on next year. “Wemight have to try to share a field,”Potts said, “if we can’t get it fixed.”

So this year, Potts has a donationbox for the team at her display.

Directions: I-95 to Boynton BeachBoulevard. Go west a half-mile andturn right at N.W. Seventh Street. Gofour streets to N.W. 10th Avenue.Turn left, and go two blocks to thesecond stop sign at N.W. EighthStreet. Turn right. It’s the fifth houseon the left.

Every year, beginning around Halloween, semi-truck driv-er William Brow puts in four or five hours after work eachnight getting his holiday display just right. This year, his sev-enth decorating, he even has a ski lift that runs across theroad. He also has Frosty, Santa, candles, soldiers, reindeerstalls and a big pen for his eight reindeer and more than250,000 lights.

William, who often uses stuff other people would throwaway, says the key to his success is “imagination.”

William gets a lot of help from his neighbors, especiallyfrom Chris Major, 15. And it’s catching on. More neighborson his street are lighting up for the holidays.

“Some neighbors think I’m going to cause a blackout,” hesays with a ho ho ho. “And my best friend’s little girl’s firstwords, after ‘Mommy’ and ‘Daddy,’ were, ‘Billy’s lights areon.’ ”

Directions: Go west on Okeechobee Boulevard to RoyalPalm Beach Boulevard, then go north about 21⁄2 miles to 66thStreet.

It helps to have an electrician in the family. Grandpa JackDoyle, an electrical contractor, covered the Lake Worthhome’s roof with more than 100,000 computer-operatedlights. The whole house changes from red to green to blue.In all, the Doyles have more than 200,000 lights in a displaythat’s become so popular, police make their street one-wayfor the month of December in order to control traffic.

Their display includes a winter wonderland village, 7-footFerris wheel with Disney characters, two merry-go-rounds,and a 21-foot Santa and sleigh on the roof.

All has not been merry, however, for Bryan and TriciaDoyle. In 1998, their first daughter, Nicole, passed away as aninfant. In 2002, their daughter Jessica, then 3, was diagnosedwith acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Each year, the Doyles collect toys and other donations forthe Pediatric Oncology Support Team at St. Mary’s MedicalCenter. The Doyles would like visitors to the display to bringa toy for the kids in the unit. The Doyles also work with thePalm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to collect toys for poorchildren.

Directions: Take Lake Worth Road west past Jog Roadabout 2 miles to Ohio Road (before Nassau Square) and turnleft. Continue south to West Palmetto and turn right. Thehouse is about halfway down on the right.

There isn’t an inch ofthis house and yard thatisn’t decorated, thanks to16-year-old Patrick Urene.

For years, Patrickworked beside his dad,putting up the elaboratedisplay. This year, Patrickgraduated to lighting direc-tor. Among the decora-tions: a nativity, Christmastrees, Santa and Frosty, anarchway with lights andwooden reindeer and asleigh with Santa, lots ofcandy canes, wreaths, anangel, reindeer and sleighon the roof. There aremore than 21,000 lights inall.

“It takes me about twoweeks,” said Patrick, asophomore at John I. Leon-ard High School. “I start atthe end of October. I’ll domy homework and theneat, and it’s hard for myparents to get me to comein. I think of new ideas,and I like to look and seewhat other people do. I do

it for everyone to enjoy andcome see.”

Directions: I-95 to For-est Hill Boulevard. Go westand turn right on FloridaMango Road. At the firstlight, Summit Boulevard,turn left. Go past MilitaryTrail and Haverhill Road,cross the canal. At the firstright, Chase Street, turnand go about a half-mile toDryden Road. Turn left.There are more houses tosee on Arlington, St. Jamesand St. George streets,which connect Summit and Dryden Road.

Andy Wallace and4-year-old son,

Cameron, 4, cheeras the Novaks

switched on theirholiday lights

CYDNEY SCOTTStaff Photographer

4988 Palm Way, Lake WorthDan and Kimberly Novak

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THE BROWS11821 66th St. N., Royal Palm BeachWilliam and Dawn Brow

RICHARD GRAULICH/Staff Photographer

William Brow says the key to decorating his Royal Palm Beach houseis ‘imagination.’ He cut a swing-set apart to mimic a chair lift.

THE POTTSESLisa Potts, and Ashleyand Sean Atteberry1225 N.W. Eighth St.,Boynton Beach

‘Unlike the material things . . . the memories we make in front of an old wooden doorwill never get old or be forgotten.’ — Lisa Potts, who paints her garage door every year

Staff photos by ELIZA GUTIERREZ

Lisa Potts’ house not only has a mural but Santa and his reindeer and hundreds of lights.

The Pottses’ garage door is famous for its Christmas cartoons. This year, it’s Monsters,Inc. From left: Ashley Atteberry, Lisa Potts, Sara Wetjen and Sean Atteberry.

THE URENESKatie, Ralph,Patrick andTiffanee Urene5654 Dryden Road,West Palm Beach

Staff photos by J. GWENDOLYNNE BERRY

The Urenes’ property in suburban West Palm Beach is covered with 21,000 lights.

Patrick Urene, a sophomore at John I. Leonard, designed hisfamily’s holiday light display this year.

THE DOYLESBryan, Tricia, Jessica and Jack Doyle74 West Palmetto Road, Lake Worth

CAROLYN DRAKE/Staff Photographer

A Ferris wheel, merry-go-rounds and a winter wonderland village fill theDoyles’ Lake Worth yard with holiday cheer.