The Grinch Display at the Aerts House in Monte Sereno

The Aerts house in Monte Sereno which has done the incredible Christmas displays the past few years is not doing their display this year due to their neighbors successfully lobbying other neighbors and the city to ban his display. The house has received publicity nationwide in the past and it's getting covered again, but this time for the neighborhood dispute.

I can understand the neighbors being a bit upset, but it's a shame that they'd be so ill spirited about it. Personally, I'd put up with the extra hassle if it made so many people happy as the Aerts display has. Couldn't they have settled their differences another way? The article says the neighbor who had the big issues complained of waking up to Christmas 45 days of the year. Couldn't they limit it to just the month of December?

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/11/26/neighborh...h.ap/index.html

That's really disappointing - the Aerts's display was a lot of fun. I can understand that it would create traffic problems in the neighborhood, but it was also a lovely community activity. The Aerts family put out hot chocolate and cookies for everyone in the evening, and people were in such a good mood. You'd think the neighbors would want to pitch in and get involved themselves - spread a little good cheer around and mingle with folks, maybe help raise funds for a worthy charity.

you have to understand that a lot of people in million $ neighborhoods don't care for a sense of community. such a shame. i don't agree with it, but that's the way it is.

there were also a couple of houses in the campbell/west SJ area that did great Christmas displays each year but unfortunately the owners retired and moved out of the area.

Alan Aerts was just interviewed on NPR and they asked him about the what the Monte Sereno City Council said to him after the petition was approved. He said that he could apply for a permit to put up his displays again, but decided not to do it because they'd be regulated in what they could do. For one, they wouldn't be allowed to give out hot chocolate and cookies and couldn't do their usual Toys for Tots drive.

I'm sure there were some other things the city council would restrict that Alan Aerts didn't mention, but the restriction on the toy drive and hot chocolate is kinda puzzling to me. Hmm....

That sounds pretty scroogy and unreasonable but I'm sure it has something to do with not having a business permit because of the toy drive. It's pretty awful.

Well, here's a nice pic of the Grinch:
http://socialwave.net/main/index.php?act...&cmd=si&img=475

...and in case you haven't seen how their display used to look like, here's a few photos from past years:
http://socialwave.net/main/index.php?act...permid=11&cat=6

This post has been edited by Sheldon on Dec 4 2004, 06:59 PM

I hate to sound like the Grinch myself about this, but this would make me crazy. 26,000 cars down a residential street?

My favorite part of Christmas as a kid was when we'd bake sugar cookies, which my brother and I would decorate with everything cakemate had to offer and more. We would invite family friends and my mom's friends, etc. over to have cookies and cider in the evenings that led up to Christmas. We were thrilled to show off our cookies and our decorated tree to the adults, and it stretched Christmas to more like 2 weeks! I can only imagine, if it was one of our neighbors who had up a display like that, none of those people would have been willing to deal with so much traffic (and parking, if there was any, to come inside) to come over. What if the Aerts neighbors might like to have their own holiday party or get-togethers? What if they had to get out of their own driveway to do Christmas shopping, or if they got home late from work? While it delighted the community as a whole, it did restrict the rest of the neighborhood significantly, I expect.

On the other hand, I believe Los Gatos contacted him about moving the display to Vasona. Now THAT makes sense, and I'd even deal with the crowds to see it myself there.

i'm watching jimmy kimmel on tivo from last night, and even he is giving this some airtime. wow. jimmy is actually interviewing them live. the nguyens are moving and the aerts are donating the christmas displays to one of the local communities.

This post has been edited by pamrealtor on Dec 7 2004, 11:58 PM

Does anyone know if the Aerts still live there? I wonder what charity/ies got the decorations.

Unless he and Bonnie just moved, my guess is yes. He's on the Monte Sereno City Council until 2010.
http://guidetogov.org/ca/scl/mun/cmsrn/

The decorations have been spread around to different groups. Campbell received a number of them. Around Christmas time, some of the Aerts collection is on display in front of City Hall, outside of the community center, and on the perimeter of Downtown Campbell.

Some went to Los Gatos. I didn't check up last year, but the previous year, I saw the Grinch on display outside of the Los Gatos library and I think there were a few other pieces down there as well, but my memory is hazy.

I can't remember where some of the other pieces went. I wonder where the surfing Santa went. We know enough of his friends.

QUOTE (Sheldon @ Apr 29 2008, 10:53 PM)

Unless he and Bonnie just moved, my guess is yes.

Gee, thanks.

You know the Surfing Santa's friends?