Tinsel Photo Gallery
 Click on an image to see an enlargement
The Trykoskis – Bridgette and Jeff – at Christmastime 2008. Behind them is their house, which becomes the most popular destination in Frisco, Texas, every December. Tammie Parnell and family, Christmas 2008. Tammie, a busy mom and volunteer, has a side business called Two Elves with a Twist, decorating people’s houses for Christmas. From left: Blake, Tad, Tammie and Emily. (And Toby, in jingle-bell collar.) Caroll and Marissa Cavazos, Christmas 2008. Caroll and Marissa lead busy lives after work and school – at their church, Celebration Covenant, and with acting classes for Marissa. The whole family, including Caroll’s older children, likes to get up early and hit the big sales on Black Friday. Up close at the Trykoski house, Christmas 2006. Approximately 50,000 lights all dance in sync with “Wizards in Winter” by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and other songs, programmed by Jeff’s brother Greg. Car passengers can tune in the song through an FM radio signal that is transmitted from the house. For more info: trykoskichristmas.com
As Christmas gets closer, the traffic to see the Trykoski house lines up around the block and down Hillcrest Avenue. Outside, Jeff likes to hand out candy canes to waiting cars. Inside, Bridgette sometimes forgets all the commotion going on. This is my favorite picture of the Trykoski house. The Trykoskis' December electric bill is surprisingly low, because the show continually blinks and shifts. Jeff said it would cost a lot more if the Christmas lights were just switched on and didn’t blink. A tree in a parking lot. Christmas really can be sublime. It has to be or else … (see next picture) … a strip mall would just be a strip mall. I really lucked out when I hired Courtney Perry, the photographer. It’s not easy to find someone who gets it about strip mall parking lots, Christmas lights, and sky.
Christmas in Frisco, Texas, 2006: At the time this picture was taken, Frisco was adding 800 or more residents per month. In 2009, that number had slowed to about 100 a month and new home construction was way down. Christmas in and around Frisco, 2006. Nice moody shot of the edge of a brand new subdivision, just east of Frisco, Christmas 2006. The sky does something impressive just about every day. Christmas tree in the multiplex parking lot, 2006.
More parking lot beauty, 2006. More parking lot beauty, 2006. Another angle on the Trykoski house, 2006 Another angle on the Trykoski house, 2006
All photos © Courtney Perry, used with permission