FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — The Christmas spirit will soon be on display in Fayetteville, despite a fire destroying hundreds of thousands of dollars in decorations three months ago.
The fire was at the Gaddy's family barn. The Fayetteville community banded together to help them rebuild.
Mike Gaddy and Gwen Gaddy's hard labor has been bringing Christmas joy to Fayetteville for 36 years.
Laurieann Harper has made visiting The Gaddy's light display an annual family tradition.
"We pick one night of the week in December. We get all the kids in the car in their Christmas PJs. And they get Chick-fil-A milkshakes," Laurieann said. "The first stop of our Christmas lights tour of the city is The Gaddy's."
However, back in August, The Gaddy's yearly tradition went dark after the fire, temporarily breaking their Christmas spirit.
"I said, 'Well, I guess the Christmas decorations is over,'" Mike said. "All the wires were burnt up."
They were devastated.
"I just didn't see any way we could do it again," Mike said.
That was until they found out they've got friends in Fayetteville. After they posted the damage on social media, it was one Christmas miracle after another.
"People were like, 'What do you need?' I watched it happen live on Facebook," Laurieann said.
The community turned a blue Christmas into a new Christmas. Neighbors started bringing food by donating and rallying the neighborhood.
"Well, we didn't want to get money," Gwen said. "So, she set up I think, like a registry of just materials. And I'm telling you, in four or five days, we had a whole room full of materials. And he got to work."
The Gaddys said they have sacrificed traveling and seeing family for the holidays over the years to give more than 30,000 cars filled with family memories. That's why they mean so much to this city.
"It's become such a part of our life," Gwen said. "It would feel very empty not to be here, but it is a requirement to be here."
Gwen said it takes about three months to put up their acres of decorations. One of the biggest lighting displays in Fayetteville is back just in time for the holidays. Laurieann's daughter Autumn, 10, can't wait to see it.
"The Gaddy's--it's very exciting. And it's very big," Autumn said.
She and her brother Ethan said it's their favorite stop on the tour.
"I just want to make more family memories," Autumn said.
Gwen said that's what makes losing what she held near and now, digging through the rubble and rebuilding again, all worth it.
"I have a refreshed view of humanity because we're living it now," Gwen said.
Her son even rebuilt their famous "Ho Ho Ho!" sign.
"We don't even know how to thank everybody," Gwen said.
She said she's grateful for everyone who stepped in.
"We could not have completed it without their help," Gwen said.
You can see the Gaddy's light show at 898 Sandy Creek Road, in Fayetteville, starting Thanksgiving night as soon as the sun goes down.