NEGAUNEE, Mich. (WZMQ) – For the holiday season, the yearly traditions of cookie baking, present shopping, and even a sleigh ride are fun to enjoy while other holiday traditions take weeks to prepare.
This is 105 East Main Street in Negaunee, decorated each year by Jake Hakala, who’s always been the one to put the holiday decorations up, the only one. Hakala was thrilled to walk through the history of the Hakala decorations, which started with him at just 10 years old. “It started slowly just putting lights on the porch, down the fence line, and adding a few decorations here and there,” commented Hakala.
Throughout the years of decorating, he’s collected old blow-up glass Santas to even a 75-foot Grinch along with his companions (view below). Jakes’s advice is to look for decorations right after the end of Christmas, although he said people are always getting rid of decorations throughout the year. “As soon as they pop up for sale around here you’re competing with probably a hundred other people trying to buy it too,” continued Hakala.
Jake hopes all the decorating and extravagant setups will maybe spark some festive challenges with the houses on his block. “The neighbor next door always tells me their going to compete with me there’s people out here every single day cars stopping kids walking up to the house,” continued Hakala.
Throughout the years, he never thought the decorations would grow into such a story, but he says daily cars drive into town and stop by the house to look at and appreciate the holiday greeting from 105 East Main Street.”The joy that people get from when they come by and all the little kids and it just makes people happy,” continued Hakala.
