Watt a show

Most families put up a strand of lights and a front-door wreath, and they're done with outdoor decorating for the Christmas season.

But others are visionaries. Sentimentalists. Traditionalists. Even crazy. Because when it comes to putting on a show for the holidays, they go all out.

The champion may be Rohnert Park's Scott Weaver, who has created Weaver's Winter Wonderland, a multihouse holiday-decorating extravaganza that takes over Cielo Circle each December.

"I like to blow people's minds," Weaver said. "It's crazy how I go the extra mile for the kids."

Every yard in the neighborhood hosts a giant painted plywood cutout scene of Cinderella, the Little Mermaid, Bumble the Abominable Snowman, Madagascar, Batman or the Nativity. Floodlights illuminating the figures are hidden in plywood snowdrifts.

Most of the time, Weaver, 47, is a produce manager at a Lucky grocery store in Novato, husband of Rochelle Weaver and father of a 16-year-old son, Tyler. But come September, he becomes an artist with a magnificent obsession -- creating, cutting, painting and installing the season's exhibit. Weaver takes four weeks of vacation time each year to complete the project, putting up 15,000 lights around his home alone.

"It's the greatest show south of the pole!" said neighbor Jim Gregoretti, who is hosting Batman and other superheroes this year. "When Scott turns it on, the power grid in Rohnert Park just sinks."

Across Sonoma County, amateur holiday installation artists such as Weaver have created outdoor displays that have become works of light. Whether displaying Disney characters, inflatable snowmen or traditional creches, these artists seem to go about their work with a childlike joy.

"It's a tradition," said Patty Bagala, who enjoys driving around town to look at lights and is bringing that inspiration to her home on Lemur Street in Santa Rosa. "Me and my brothers would be in our PJs and have a thermos of hot chocolate and we would walk down the streets and look at all the homes. It was something free that people gave to one another."

The neighborhoods that "give" more than others achieve fame, and perhaps infamy among neighbors who consider excessive lights a draw on the electricity grid or are hassled by the traffic such installations attract.

Bagala's 13-year-old son, Gino, keeps putting up lights to make a name for himself.

"I just want people to see what I'm doing," said Gino, who put up thousands of lights this year, all purchased with his own money.

A ride through the streets of Sonoma County to check out others' work has bestowed upon Bagala a higher purpose for next season: He is now a self-described Weaver's Winter Wonderland wannabe.

"It's the best I've ever seen," Bagala gushed after seeing the show last week. "He puts so much time into it -- so much money into it."

Weaver's electric bill last December was more than $1,200, and he estimates he has spent "in the ballpark" of $30,000 creating the various scenes over the past 14 years.

"But it's worth it," Weaver said. "It's about the joy of all the kids. Their hugs and crying and shouting when they see everything. They are full of wonder and imagination when they see it."

Though less invested, Weaver's neighbors say they can't imagine Christmas any other way. The decorations, many said, have become a part of their year-round identity.

Instead of giving street directions to visiting friends, Weaver's neighbors describe the decorations that were in front of their houses the previous Christmas.

"People and students at school say, 'Have you seen the Christmas house? The neighborhood that's all decorated?' And I say, 'That's me! I'm the Little Mermaid house!' And everyone knows where I'm talking about," said neighbor Maha Gregoretti.

It may be difficult to compete, but Bagala already has a game plan.

Once he got home from Weaver's Winter Wonderland, he started drawing up plans for his own installation. He looked at what Weaver didn't have and decided to create that. Among his drawings are designs for Alvin and the Chipmunks characters.

"I'm going to get mine looking like his soon," Bagala said. "I'm going to make a whole bunch of stuff. I've already started my designs.

Weaver approved.

"That's awesome," he said. "I wish him good luck."

Weaver is hoping to be lucky, too. On Friday he was named one of 12 finalists in Kentucky Fried Chicken's Festive Fanatics holiday decoration contest.

Holiday light gazers across the United States have the opportunity to vote for the home they like the best, winning the occupants several prizes -- among them, their electricity bill being paid by Kentucky Fried Chicken.

"Winning the contest is a long shot, but it's cool. I've never entered a contest, but I would love to win this," Weaver said.

You can reach Staff Writer Laura Norton at 521-5220 or lnorton@pressdemocrat.com.

Scott Weaver's electric bill for December 2006 $1,200

Total investment over the past 14 years $30,000

Number of lightbulbs used at the Weaver house 15,000

Time required to set up holiday display 4 WEEKS