Michael Herrod’s nativity scene has been a winner in the 20th Century Club’s Christmas Lighting Contest in Bruce on multiple occasions, but this year was the first time to be the overall winner.
“I was really surprised when I heard that I had won, especially knowing some of the other homes the judges looked at,” Herrod said.
The outside of his “modest” home on West Clay Street is decorated with the classical look of green garland with bright red bows and shiny gold ornaments.
“I’m very traditional,” Herrod said. “This is who I am.”
He said the wreaths on the front of his house are “far from new,” but he does add new ribbons and maybe some magnolia leaves to them each year to “spruce them up.”
The nativity scene, which again earned first place this year, is his pride and joy.
“I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it,” Herrod said. “I bought the whole thing at one time. The store clerk asked if I was buying it for a church, and I said ‘no, it’s for my home.’ I guess most people buy a piece at a time each year, but I had to have it all right then.”
Herrod, 51, who splits time in Bruce and Miami where he owns a travel agency, said he had to get back to Florida at the time and called on some family members to get it home for him.
“They had it piled up so high on the truck the police stopped them in Pontotoc,” Herrod said.
They were forced to unload some of the items at the Pontotoc Police Station and make two trips to Bruce to deliver it all due to the officers feeling it wasn’t safe to drive so loaded down.
“My family wasn’t real happy with me at the moment,” Herrod said with a grin.
Family is very important to Herrod and he hosts them all, often 25-plus, at his house for Christmas.
“This is my favorite holiday,” Herrod said. “It’s all about family for us.”
Herrod is the son of Mike and Alberta Herrod. He is one of seven children – Alene, Olene, Gwen, Carrie, Earlene, Tom Pete and Michael.
They will all come to Herrod’s home for Christmas with their extended families.
“It’s an open door policy at my house for Christmas,” Herrod said. “We all get together and eat ‘til it’s all gone.”
Herrod does all the cooking himself.
“My sisters will do all the prep work for me, but I handle the cooking,” he said.
The menu will feature traditional favorites – turkey, ham, barbeque chicken, ribs, greens, sweet potatoes, etc.
“Last year I made some gumbo that everyone enjoyed,” Herrod said. “I’ll probably do that again, also.”
He recalled the Christmases of his youth very traditional also. The decorations around the house weren’t quite as shiny as his today.
“We would cut an evergreen in the woods and decorate it with very minimal ornaments,” Herrod said. “We would cut circles out of construction paper and use popcorn – nothing extravagant.”
“It was always a good time, an extraordinary time,” Herrod said. “We didn’t think of ourselves as poor, just normal. We were together.”
They are gathering together again this week around Herrod’s award-winning decorations to continue a family tradition.
“It’s always a good time,” he said.
Christmas Lighting Winners
Overall
1st Michael Herrod
2nd Jill and Steve Ferguson
3rd John and Annie Jean Snellings
HM Casey and Jody Clark
Trendy
1st Dan and Bridgett Fulton
2nd Jared and Courtney Griffin
3rd Enoch and Erica Griffin
HM Joel and Lisa McNeece
Christmas Tree
1st Betty Edwards
2nd James Earl and Frances Snyder
3rd Greg and Beth Gillis
HM Lee and Lori Peden
Nativity
1st Michael Herrod
2nd Dan and Bridgett Fulton
3rd Steve and Jill Ferguson
HM Darrell and Sandra Logan
Door
1st Eric and Donna Weeks
2nd Bill and Beverly Cooper
3rd Jessey and Debbie Higdon
HM Glen and Peggy White
Wreaths
1st Danile and Kris Hathorne
2nd Turner and Leigh Moore
3rd Dean and Cassie Bryant
HM Charles and Ann Herring