Al Bailey on why 2022 is last year for his beloved Christmas display in Portsmouth
Editor's note: Al Bailey and his wife Sheila are well known in Portsmouth and around the Seacoast for their family's annual Christmas displays at their Ocean Road home. The tradition began in 1986, when they lived in South Berwick, Maine. The displays go well beyond colorful lights, featuring handmade and painted characters from "Charlie Brown" or "The Muppets" or "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Every year has brought a new theme and a full year of craftsmanship and devotion to creating holiday joy for the community. Al Bailey says he is calling it quits after Christmas 2022. Here's a message he has written for the community:
Dear Neighbors, Family, Friends, and Fans,
It is with mixed emotions that Sheila and I inform you that 2022 will be our last year providing an annual, extravagant holiday decoration – we’ve labeled the "Bailey Christmas Card to the Community." EVERYTHING IS FINE!!!! We have no health issues. We are not relocating. And we remain happily married! And while costs for materials continue to rise, that too has never been an issue and is not our reason for ending this long run now. We aren’t as good as Tom Brady at beating Father Time and want to have a pleasant (as much as we can) stop while we are close to the top of our game.
We’d like to thank you for allowing us to share your holiday season on our front lawn. The cookies, cakes, pies (Sheila’s favorite), potato chips, candy and Pop Tarts (my favorite!) were always appreciated. Your cards, letters, texts and sticky notes were like routinely receiving daily income tax returns from the IRS. We can’t tell you how much it means to us when you stop by or honk your horn as we get closer to the holiday season or after the display is up. An extended hand, a hug, or just a smile is better than any gift we could ever ask for. Your friendship makes us feel wealthy. Thank you for that!
It's been our goal for 36 years to try and create an annual pleasant surprise, free of politics, and divisive messages … just plain old New England Christmas cheer. Mary and Gene Bailey, my parents, plus our friends in South Berwick, taught us that. No matter what was happening on the 6 o’clock news, we wanted to provide someplace you could escape to, with your family, if only for 10 or 15 minutes, that helped get you into (or added to) your Christmas spirit. We always hope we were successful for at least that.
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How do you stop something you love to do, which brings enjoyment to a lot of people? When is a good time to stop … at age 40? 50? 60? We passed those milestones years ago. We look forward to doing a little more traveling while we’re still in good shape and feel like we’re 25. (OK, maybe 35.) Our children have families, and we’d like to be able to go to their homes for the holidays. We’ll still do something each year for the holidays. It just won’t be at the magnitude of what we and you are used to. We wanted to let you know this year so that next year does not come as a disappointment when there is nothing 12 feet tall on our lawn nor 3 miles of electrical extension cords lighting up Ocean Road. We have many fans that can recall the first 15 years or the last seven years by the themes. For those seeing it for the first time, we hope that it was at least memorable for you. Please be sure to visit the hundreds of creatively decorated homes in Portsmouth, Greenland, Stratham, Dover, Kittery and South Berwick. They, too, are worth your visit! We have many favorites, hopefully they become yours, too!
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Our first ever Bailey Christmas Card was inspired by the wonderful folks of South Berwick. We wanted to give back to that community and all the other places we lived, including Kentucky, Wrentham and Attleboro, Massachusetts, and Portsmouth. Thanks. A quick shout out to Lowes and Home Depot. My best friends are there, and I see them three times a week easily. You know who you are. To Nora, Brenda and Michael, Joe and Vicky, Nancy and Bob, Joel and Wendy, Erin - couldn’t do it without you, Dawn, Carmen, Wendy and Ted, Sean, Heather, and Brady, Cathy, Carrie, Jess, Michael and our new niece Clara, Michael and Michelle, Michael and Lynn, Hadley and Grady, Dick, Cathy and Dina, Pam, Cathy, Scott and Amy – you two were there from the beginning in Portsmouth, Michael and Sadie, and Arizona Larry, my awesome sisters April and Adria and my brother and sister-in-law: Tom and Terry, you’re the very best! Larry and Donna, Tony, and Penny part of "The Village" in Kentucky and others who were part of the annual painting parties – thanks.
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To my children Dean, Al, Adam, and Jenna, who learned the value of community and giving back through this 36-year project – thanks. Thanks, Sheila for your love, your paint brush, and your budget management. Let’s start planning a vacation or two ... or three! We’re not saying goodbye. Just lowering the expectations from the cottage at 487 Ocean Road. Remember, whether you have one light or a thousand lights, be sure to turn it/them on. You’ll make the world a little brighter every time! Be well.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays always.
Sheila, Al, and (family dog) Max
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Al Bailey's last Christmas display in Portsmouth NH: In his own words
