Santa still visiting for-sale Greenhaw house
Published 6:45 am Sunday, December 18, 2016
- This file photo shows santa and his reindeer made it back on the porch of the Jimmy Greenhaw house in Athens in 2016, even though the the home is for sale. Greenhaw died in Aug. 17, 2015. The lighted display has appeared on the upper porch every Thanksgiving since the mid-1970s.
For more than 40 years, a lighted cutout of Santa and his reindeer has appeared each Thanksgiving on the Jimmy Greenhaw house in Athens.
When owner Jimmy Greenhaw died in 2015, many people thought the annual display would cease to be.
Apparently, no one told Santa and his herd.
Once again this year the nostalgic harbinger of Christmas is perched on the second-floor porch of the Greenhaw home at the corner of Jefferson and Hobbs streets.
Lanier Greenhaw, Jimmy’s son, said he put up the display again this year because he knows many people in the community look forward to it.
“If we sell the house, I hope the new owners will continue the tradition,” he said.
Since 1970s
Jimmy told The News Courier in 2013 the tradition started in the mid-70s. He said he bought the antique cutout during one of his travels to Indianapolis.
The retired businessman, who once owned Greenhaw Furniture and Greenhaw Real Estate and Auction with his brother Herby, said he bought the item during a time he would buy junk and then resell it as “fine antiques.”
His wife, the late Kitty Greenhaw, did a little persuading to get him to put Santa and his sleigh on the home they lived in since 1974.
“My wife enjoyed decorating for Christmas,” Jimmy said in 2013. “She got us doing most everything we did. I thought it looked nice, and we’ve been putting it up ever since.”
Thanksgiving arrival
Santa usually makes his appearance on Thanksgiving Day.
“Most of the time, we put it up rain or shine,” Jimmy said.
Jimmy’s son Lanier, former owner of Dub’s Burgers, helped put up the display many of those years. His own sons help now, too.
“I don’t remember the first time helping but I’m sure it was soon after we moved into the house,” Lanier said. “Dad loved that Santa and reindeer.”
Lanier said he remembered some very cold and windy years.
“But still, it was put up every Thanksgiving morning,” he said.
Although the home is for sale, some Athens and Limestone County residents hope the decorations stay with the home and, as Lanier Greenhaw said, continue the tradition.
