A holiday spectacular

The home of Daniel and Aurora Garoian on Harvard Road has attracted its fair share of rubbernecking this holiday season. As drivers slow down to get a better look at the house, their jaws often drop at the sheer mass of decorations in the frontyard.

The display is so impressive that the Burbank Civic Pride Committee gave the Garoians a perfect score during its 24th annual holiday outdoor decorating contest, which gave awards to five residential displays and one commercial display.

“There’s so many houses that we look at and a lot of them have a festive, carnival-type theme,” Civic Pride Committee Chairman Linda Silvas said. “But we do like the house on Harvard.”

A white staircase wrapped in candy-cane red ribbon leads up to a yard where virtually every square inch is covered with some type of decoration — snowmen, pin wheels, toy soldiers, a gingerbread house.

In the middle of the yard stands a gazebo with oversized hard candies dangling above waist-high nutcrackers.

The Garoian home topped a list of 38 contestants citywide with residential displays. The committee also recognized Samuel’s Florist on Olive Avenue for its festive decorations.

“I think it helps everybody get in the mood,” Aurora Garoian said.

“And for me, I like to decorate, so it adds to this particular time of year — it makes the blocks look brighter, it brightens everything up.”

Several miles south of the Garolian’s in the Magnolia Park District, a digital light display adorns the yard of the Norton family, another display recognized by the committee.

“We meet people from all over the world,” Richard Norton said. “A lot of people say, ‘We can’t do this where we come from, for one, because of the climate.’

“So for a lot of people in parts of the U.S. it’s unusual to have this kind of a display. So we enjoy it.”

Most rewarding of all are the comments that sightseers often write in the Norton’s “Santa Log,” which is put out in front of the display.

“My wife and I enjoy reading them each night and so many people express their gratitude about it,” he said.

“We’re especially moved by so many people who say that this is really the only Christmas their kids get.”