Case Christmas lights bring holiday cheer

By Courtney Warren 

The Christmas lights on the square aren’t the only area where Cantonians are spreading Christmas cheer. 

If one ventures down past the Canton Country Club, they will find the home of Richard and Linda Case decorated from the front door to the street with Christmas inflatables and lights. 

“We started with about three or four of them around ten years ago, and it kind of grew, as if someone watered it,” Richard said with a chuckle. 

Linda added that their treasured hometown is where their love of Christmas decorations comes from.

“We were both raised in a town in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, which was founded on Christmas Eve in 1741. Christmas was a very big deal in our town. We were in the military for twenty-four years, and we moved around and didn’t have one place we could call home. 

“We always lived in government houses or, when we were in California, the lots were terribly small. Rich always said some day he would like property to be able to decorate for Christmas. He started with the white lights and decorating the trees, and he took off from there.”

The pair moved to Mississippi in 1993, and Linda began working with Canton Tourism in 1996. 

“I was special events manager, and Joanne Gordon and I took Christmas to the great big thing. We knew how important it was to the city, and so Rich picked up the feel and did something at our house,” said Linda. 

The set-up process takes around two days, with Rich pulling out all of the inflatables, deciding where they will be set up in the yard, and then preparing the waterproof electrical cords. 

The inflatables are now on a pool timer and will turn on and off at their respective times. 

Despite the long process, Richard and Linda both agree it is worth it. 

“In the beginning, people would drive by and look at them and wave. So, after that, each year, we’d buy one or two, and it grew. The more it grew, the more people would come by and look at them. Now it gives me great pleasure to have them out there. Last Saturday, when I was putting them out, a lady stopped and said she was going home to get her kids and come back,” said Richard.  

As Christmas draws closer, the Cases are excited to share the joy and excitement that comes with the holiday season.