TAYLORSVILLE, Utah — There's a street in Taylorsville where Christmas isn't just a holiday — it's a year-round commitment.
For four decades, residents have transformed their neighborhood into an illuminated storybook, complete with hand-painted storyboards that guide visitors through "The Night Before Christmas" as they drive or walk the decorated street.
This year, the tradition got a fresh coat of paint thanks to an ambitious community service project that began, surprisingly, on Sept. 11. Jill Loertscher, one of the street's residents, saw Patriot Day as an opportunity to give back to the community. Her initial idea snowballed into a three-month endeavor involving 70 volunteers and 700 hours of labor to create new storyboards for the beloved Christmas display.
"We decided we wanted to do a service project around Patriots Day in September," Loertscher explained. "And we thought, 'Well, let's do the Christmas boards.'"
The project caught the enthusiasm of longtime residents like Karri Adams, who delights in a detail added to the new designs.
"I love having fresh new boards and everything looking so fresh and fun," Adams says. "And there's a little mouse that is on every board for everybody to look for as they go around."
The mouse, it turns out, is more than just decoration.
"We did that because the very first line is 'Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse,'" explained one of the organizers. "We've added that element to each of our boards to make it fun for the kids when they come."
The display, which goes up the Saturday after Thanksgiving, has become more than just a holiday attraction. It's become a touchstone for the community, creating meaningful moments that extend beyond the holiday season. Residents have found anonymous notes in their mailboxes from visitors sharing how the display helped them through difficult times. One mother recounted how her child with Down syndrome, after years of having the boards read to him, began reading them himself: "No Mom, let me read it to you."
As winter nights grow longer, cars line up to drive through this illuminated street. Couples walk hand in hand through occasional snowfall, families pile out of minivans, and children search for hidden mice in the storyboards. For forty years, these residents have dedicated countless hours to creating magic for strangers.
"A lot of people have told me throughout the years that they have grown up coming to this street," said Adams, laughing. "Makes me feel old when they say that."
To visit, go to the corner of Royalwood Drive and 3310 West. The lights and signs should make the rest obvious.
