The fourth generation of Skakoon family members have started helping out in decorating 296 Frood Rd. for the Christmas season
There aren’t many constants in life, but Greater Sudburians can expect to see 296 Frood Rd. covered in brightly coloured Christmas lights every holiday season.
At least, they have since 1958.
“It’s going to go along for as long as I can walk,” Mike Skakoon said, to which his son, Nick, added, “And then you’ll say it’s up to me.”
The Christmas display at the Skakoon family home at 296 Frood Rd. is pictured this week. Tyler Clarke / Sudbury.com
Nick’s children have started helping out each Christmas season; a weeklong process which finds the residential property blanked in homemade and store-bought decorations.
They’re the fourth generation to help out in decorating the house, which has been in the Skakoon family since the 1920s.
Mike said that his father, Nicholas, started the tradition in 1958.
Inco layoffs and strike action marred the year, putting a damper on Christmas festivities which spurred various community efforts aimed to resuscitate.
Nicholas took part in a Sparkle Contest which Ontario Hydro hosted that year.
He started out with some Christmas lights, which an uncle later built upon with wooden cutouts.
“We had a huge Santa Claus on the roof that was a laminated picture, with reindeer, and he made a Santa’s workshop with a bunch of elves he cut out of plywood, and we had those painted,” Mike said. “As the years kept going, we kept adding.”
The Christmas display at the Skakoon family home at 296 Frood Rd. is pictured this week. Tyler Clarke / Sudbury.com
Fuelled by public feedback and a desire to brighten Christmases, the annual tradition continued when Mike inherited the home, aided by his children over the years and now his grandchildren as well.
As seen this year, the house’s front lawn is covered with a platform, on which various lighted figures are situated, including characters from the Peanuts cartoon strip, alongside a manger scene. Music is pumped into the yard throughout day and night.
The Christmas display at the Skakoon family home at 296 Frood Rd. is pictured this week. Tyler Clarke / Sudbury.com
Although some years have seen some theft and damage, Mike said while knocking on wood that it’s been minimal and that nothing has taken place in years.
“They respect it, I guess,” Nick said, adding that they’ll get several Christmas cards per year from people who drop off cards and small gifts as thanks for putting up the display each year.
Meanwhile, Nick and his family live in a house on McNaughton Street, which has adopted its own now-annual tradition of lining area streets with giant inflatable Santas.
The giant Santas which line McNaughton Street is a new Christmas tradition which started last year and has a connection to the Skakoon house at 296 Frood Rd., in that Nick Skakoon, the son of Mike and Claudette Skakoon who live on Frood Road, lives on McNaughton Street and participates in the growing tradition. (Tyler Clarke/Sudbury.com)
Nick’s household had one of the first giant Santas, and area resident Sarah Dakins picked up the idea and promoted it through the neighbourhood.
There were about a dozen giant Santas last year, and now there are approximately 40 through the neighbourhood.
The Skakoon family owns the Home Hardware at 385 Montague Ave. and sold the giant Santas at cost to help get the effort going.
It’s another annual tradition Nick said is about making people feel good each Christmas season.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.