Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Wrapping It Up: Gus Perez has been wrapping tens of thousands of lights around his willow tree since 1991. It takes three months of preparation.
Willow Glen holiday tree goes up for sale
Owners are moving away from home--and willow tree they made into a landmark
By Melissa Matchak
Longtime Willow Glen residents Gus and Irma Perez have, since 1991, created a spectacle of lights on the willow trees in front of their home, draping them with 60,000 lights every holiday season.
Irma Perez says she and her husband got the idea on a trip to New York, where they were impressed by some of the displays there.
"After looking at those lights in awe, I asked my husband if we could do that to the willows," Irma said.
Keeping his promise, Gus Perez has hired three to four people to help him every year since then.
Starting in October, Gus and his crew begin checking each light on the hundreds of strands to make sure they are all intact.
Once the lights are strung up in the two trees, they check each light again because one broken light can shut down an entire 100-light strand.
"The employees work steadily for eight hours a day just checking lights," Irma says. "It's a tedious process, and it takes two to three months to complete."
The Perez family has lived in the house for 23 years and are moving because they feel the house is just too big for them now.
"Our children are all married and have moved out, so we're downsizing," Irma says.
The Perezes hope that whoever purchases the home will continue the tradition of lighting the trees for the holidays. Irma said she thinks they will leave the lights for the new owners.
"Once we started (lighting the trees), it was difficult to stop," Irma says. "Our neighbor said, 'you can't stop doing that,' but it's a tedious process. I don't wish that task on anyone."
The willow trees that wear the white lights each year were planted by Irma 20 years ago. Although she said they recently lost one of them, another has already been planted in its place.
Willow Glen, California Since 1992
