Holiday in lights

Tariq Malik

To Huntington Harbour resident Betty Mays, getting into the holiday

spirit means more than just caroling, eggnog and gifts.

It means 10,000 lights, toy soldiers standing 20 feet tall and a grand

attraction to harbor visitors who float by the house on the 38th annual

Cruise of Lights fund-raiser for children’s music programs.

Mays, a 27-year resident, is one of many harbor residents whose boats,

yards and roofs are decked out with animated displays of reindeer, toy

soldiers, Santa Claus and other holiday-themed icons in preparation for

the cruise, which starts tonight.

“It started out as something for my children,” Mays said. “Decorating

the house has always been a family tradition, something we all get

involved in.”

Almost three decades later, Mays, who is a former president of the

Huntington Harbour Philharmonic Committee, said the main focus is still

children, but not just hers.The 45-minute Cruise of Lights began in 1962,

a product of then-residents Jane and By Dodd, who were hoping to find a

way to raise funds for public and private music programs in city schools,

said Annette Eliot, a spokeswoman for the committee. A few years later,

the Dodds established the philharmonic committee, a local chapter of the

nonprofit Orange County Philharmonic Society, which sponsors music

education for children.

Though the Dodds have since left the area, the cruise and lighted

homes remain.

“Since we first started, we’ve raised about $2.5 million for music

programs across the county,” said Valerie Ingham, manager of the event’s

coordinating office. “There are about 3,500 homes in the harbor, with

most of them putting at least a string of lights up for the cruise.”

Most of that money is sent to the county society, though the

Huntington Harbour chapter retains 10% for cash grants for public and

private schools within the city.

Eliot said music is something that not only is good for the soul, but

can encourage and support students in their studies.

Resident Janet Martin couldn’t agree more. Her 6-year-old daughter,

Lindsay, took up the violin after the local philharmonic chapter’s

Musicmobile dropped by her school at Carden Academy last year.

“She just loves to play now, and even got me interested in it, so we

learn violin together,” Martin said.

Mays said the cruise has turned the festive holiday atmosphere into a

competition, as well as a fund-raiser.

“We’ve won trophies in almost all of the categories they judges homes

on, including sweepstakes, the highest award there is,” she said of her

annual light displays.

To encourage participation, the committee holds competitions for the

best displays on and off the water in 28 different categories, and kicks

off the cruise with a boat parade. This year, about 80 homes signed up

for the competition.

“It’s not just for Christmas either,” Mays said, adding that

households of varying religions also get into the spirit. “There are

Jewish displays with lighted menorahs, and traditional season’s greetings

houses or nativities.The important thing, she added, is that the program

is a way for families to get together and for children to be happy.

FYI

The 38th annual Huntington Harbour Cruise of Lights will begin today

and run through Dec. 23. For tour times and tickets, call (714) 840-7542.