Christmas Reflections

Victorian homes with gingerbread trim stretch gracefully along the surface of Lake DeFuniak, illuminated by the warm glow of more than 10 million hand-strung lights. A horse-drawn carriage trots around the historic district’s Circle Drive past garland, wreaths, and festive sculptures of iron and wood.

This idyllic scene is quite familiar to the residents of DeFuniak Springs. The small-town seat of Walton County, DeFuniak Springs honors its rich history and supportive community with the annual Christmas Reflections celebration. The celebration begins the day after Thanksgiving and runs through New Year’s Eve.

Created in 1998, Christmas Reflections was the brainchild of local couple John and Peggy Sims. Together, the Simses gathered a committee of senior citizens to plan the event and gather funding to purchase the various decorations and light frames needed to get the tradition up and running.

Thanks to their hard work, Christmas Reflections, which is now run by the city, is able to sustain itself through nominal entry fees. Those visiting the spectacle by car during open hours (5:30 to 9 p.m.) pay $5 for each passenger over the age of 5. On Tuesdays, visiting veterans pay $10 for a car with as many as six passengers.

Beyond twinkling lights and handmade decorations, this event encompasses a variety of seasonal activities for locals and visitors to enjoy. Carriage rides for as many as six passengers are available by reservation. The Festival of Trees, which is held during the first two weeks of Christmas Reflections, presents a free-to-enter display of decorated Christmas trees at the historic Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood, just off the bank of Lake DeFuniak.

Florida Chautauqua founder, economic development advocate, author, local historian, and general renaissance woman Diane Pickett could not avoid Christmas Reflections even if she wanted to.

“The carriage rides come clumping by my house and get my doggies really excited,” Pickett laughed. “The doggies want to go ride and chase the horses.”

Pickett owns one of DeFuniak Springs’ most notable historic homes, a frequent mainstay of the Christmas Reflections Tour of Homes. Held on the first Saturday in December from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Tour of Homes explores roughly 10 of the neighborhood’s more than 30 Victorian-era homes.

“My house was built in 1905,” Pickett said. “I have restored it to a very high Victorian standard, which typifies what a home in DeFuniak in 1905 would have looked like—all the furnishings, all the wallpaper, the lighting. It is now the home of my foundation, DeFuniak Springs Landmarks. Landmarks is dedicated to historic preservation and restoration.

“You won’t see wallpaper like that within 200 miles of the DeFuniak,” she added.

Each year, DeFuniak Springs hosts its Christmas Reflections celebration where a 10 million-light display surrounds the town center’s perfectly circular, spring-fed Lake DeFuniak. Locals and visitors are invited to experience this small-town tradition with a drive around the scenic route. Photo by Mike Fender

Off Circle Drive, the holiday festivities continue with DeFuniak Springs’ Merry Market, a pop-up Christmas Market held on Main Street during the month of December. The market is a seasonal amalgamation of local art, toys, plants, food, and music. The MainStreet area, Pickett said, has seen a great deal of growth in recent years thanks to the committee that manages it. With new businesses moving in, this year’s Merry Market is poised to be the best yet.

“We have some new restaurants in town, and [we have a new] wine and beer bar nearby 9th Street on Baldwin Avenue—just don’t tell the Baptists,” Pickett said with a grin.

The Last Stop Brew Vault opened on Baldwin Avenue in March to popular demand, offering craft beer, wine, and seltzers and hosting trivia and other themed events weekly.

As much as the annual celebration reflects on the past, it also serves as an opportunity to show pride in the present and set the stage for the next generation to do the same. Christmas Reflections would not be possible without the dedication and devotion of local volunteers and artisans of all ages.

From generous homeowners like Pickett to local welders who construct and repair decorations to high school students, it seems that the whole of DeFuniak Springs takes part in Christmas Reflections.

High school students from the nearby Walton Academy Charter School began volunteering with Christmas Reflections five years ago.

“The students gain the experience of giving back to others and feel the joy of participating in a long-standing tradition in our town,” the school’s principal Marie Laurino said. “They are also able to learn about different careers within our city, as well as the job requirements and benefits. Mostly, it is our hope that our students’ participation in Christmas Reflections will plant seeds that will nurture and grow. As they grow, we will watch them develop and sustain positive relationships, creating a respectful and responsible community.”

These burgeoning community leaders help to hang lights, set up decorations, and offer a helping hand wherever needed. Laurino is proud to see her students living out the school’s mission of community service, and the students learn to take pride in their efforts.

“The students are so proud to point out exactly how they contributed to the nights of lights at the lakeyard,” Laurino said.

“I want to give them a shoutout,” Pickett said. “This is just a bunch of teenagers, you know, and they are giving their all for community effort.”

There’s no doubt that DeFuniak locals of all ages revere Christmas Reflections as a beloved tradition to carry on for years to come.