Neighborhoods festooned with Christmas lights are not an uncommon sight in Traverse City during the holidays. But this year, the residents of Kids Creek are bringing their decoration game to a whole new level.

Inspired by Central Neighborhood’s famed “Christmas alleys” – in which homeowners trick out their garages and fences with dazzling light displays – Spruce Street resident Richard Odell has united his neighbors in mounting a “12 Days of Christmas” installation across a dozen houses on South Spruce and Sixth streets.

“I thought we should (decorate) a street instead of an alley,” says Odell. “I looked online, and I couldn’t find anyplace else in the country that did this. I thought that if we did it and it works, maybe other streets in Traverse City would choose to do other themes and then it would be an attraction to bring people to Traverse City.”

After convincing his neighbors to participate in the project, Odell began designing twelve displays – one for each yard – themed around the 12 Days of Christmas. In July, the residents started working in Odell’s garage each weekend constructing the set pieces. Using wood frames, chicken wire, plastic fencing and papier mâché, the group built life-sized, three-dimensional milking maids, drummers, swans, leaping lords, gold rings, and calling birds – and of course, a partridge in a pear tree.

Odell, a former president of Interlochen Center for the Arts, estimates he spent a few thousands dollars out of his own pocket and countless hours working on the project. He contacted city officials to obtain permission to wrap trees in the public right-of-way in Christmas lights, and also paid for the required insurance to cover the trees.  But Odell credits his fellow residents for jumping in and helping make the project a reality.

“They thought I was crazy at first,” Odell acknowledges. Terry Zelenka, a neighbor out working with Odell Friday installing the final displays, interjects with a laugh: “They don’t question that anymore.”

Odell received a creative boost in his undertaking after discovering two artists lived in the neighborhood. Rich Roman and Mary Hall – both area art educators – assisted with painting faces, creating signs and putting the final artistic touches on the set pieces. Other neighbors helped organize shopping trips to Goodwill to pick up hats, gloves and other clothing pieces for the displays.

Zelenka says he’d never met many of his neighbors before they began working on the project together. “I think it’s wonderful,” he says. “It’s a great idea to bring people to Traverse City, and a great idea to bring the neighborhood closer together.” Odell adds he’s since been approached by other neighbors who didn’t participate this year but want to be included next year. “I have some ideas for how we can expand it,” he says with a grin.

The neighborhood residents are planning to gather today (Saturday) shortly before five to raise a toast before traveling as a group to house one of the installation on Sixth Street. At five o’clock, the lights for the project will officially come on, with the group planning to continue on to each house one by one. The display will also officially open to the public tonight at 5. The Kids Creek 12 Days of Christmas installation – which has its own Facebook page – will then be lit every night from 5pm to 10pm through Christmas Eve. The public is invited to either drive or walk through the neighborhood to view the display.

Odell says he plans to make the installation a yearly tradition, possibly offering unique twists or variations on the theme each year. “Hopefully whether people drive through, or they get out and take pictures with the displays or whatever, it just brings some joy,” Odell says. “Hopefully it brings some smiles and memories of childhood. If we accomplish that, then I’m good.”