PASADENA
Man rebuilds his winter wonderland
Display is brought back after vandals trashed it 15 years ago
Pasadena resident George Courville’s house is lit up for Christmas on Friday. His home was vandalized, and all of his hand-built decorations destroyed, 15 years ago. Photos by Keith Birmingham — staff photographer
A Christmas sign is seen at Courville’s home Friday. After a long absence due to health issues, Courville was able to repair and rebuild all of his animatronics.
Decorations fill the yard Friday. “It’s more joy than accomplishment,” he says.
Figures sit in Courville’s yard in Pasadena on Friday. He added new lights and wiring to his display.
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The Grinches can’t keep people down forever.
George Courville gazed inside his garage and saw the ghosts of Christmases past.
It wasn’t pretty.
The remnants of the holiday decorations that for decades drew hundreds to his home at Christmastime in the 1700 block of Monte Vista Street in Pasadena were now covered in cobwebs and dust.
They had become damaged, aging relics of a time when Courville — talk to him a while and you’ll start calling him Santa George — crafted an ever-growing front yard winter wonderland every year, like clockwork, complete with animatronics and intricate lighting.
Until that dark December day 15 years ago, when Grinches
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