Decorated house brings joy to all during holiday season

When Jo Bohna bought her house on East F Street in Moscow, she said it was known by many as the "Christmas light house."

Not only did its previous owners go all out with lights during the holiday season, the couple left them up all year.

Since purchasing the now 103-year-old house in December 2001, she has continued the holiday season tradition, although the lights go out when the holidays are over.

Bohna said she puts the decorations up every year to bring joy to those who pass her house.

"I want people to smile and remember the holiday season," she said.

The 62-year-old said she phased out the previous homeowners' lights over the years since they were wearing out, and she replaced them with LED lights. She sets out different decoration combinations every year, and this year her yard has a few unique guests - among them an inflatable SpongeBob SquarePants, who is wearing a Santa Claus hat and sitting atop a Christmas present. SpongeBob is joined by a second inflatable, a carousel with Santa, a snowman and a penguin all riding reindeer.

Colorful Christmas lights line her porch and roof, and the word "JOY" is spelled across her second floor front windows for passersby to see. Bohna said she displays the "JOY" lights in her upstairs windows every year.

Unlike the previous homeowners, Bohna said she decorates her house and yard the day after Thanksgiving and takes them down a week into January. While they are up, the lights are never turned off, since the weather can turn dark and gloomy during the day and the lights, she said, can shine more.

The fact she does not have them up all year pleases her neighbors, Bohna said.

Bohna said she put the lights and decorations up by herself this year since her husband died, and while this year's display is the smallest she has had, it was still plenty of work.

Bohna said she buys most of her decorations from yard sales, but she recently received a 12-foot reindeer as a gift from friends.

"It's the ugliest thing you've ever seen in your life, but it's gigantic," she said.

Despite its appearance, Bohna said she still plans to put up the display next year.

Bohna also gets immersed in the Halloween spirit, and, she said, her fall display is often larger than her Christmas one.

Garrett Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza@dnews.com.