December 26, 2023
RICHLAND, Wash. — After Monroe Street in Madison, Wisconsin filled the neighborhood with 12ft inflatable Santas, the article written by Channel 3000 found its way to a Richland, Washington’s mom group, sparking a cross-country rivalry.
Having 12ft inflatable Santas filling the community is not a new tradition for Monroe Street. This is the fourth year the neighborhood has blown-up these inflatables and as of December 23rd, there was more than 50 Santas along the Street.
A local business owner in the Tri-Cities Steve Lee said, “For how much joy this is bringing the people of Monroe Street and obviously people everywhere else when it gets shared every Christmas, I started counting houses on our block and thought we could do way better.”
Lee knew they had to do something other than Santas, to stick out from the Monroe Street community. After negotiation with other mom’s, they decided on 12ft Bumble with Star Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer Characters.
This is the Goose Ridge Communities first year beginning the inflatable tradition. Lee mentioned that 32 Bumble were purchased but some homes either returned them or did not inflate them.
“We decided we were gonna get these Bumbles and leave them on everyone’s doorsteps with no explanation and just let people opt to slowly start putting them up as they catch what’s going on. So, we distributed 31-32 Bumbles.” Lee said, “and currently the Highview [Street] Bumble count is 28.” As of December 23rd, Highview Streets final count was 31 Bumbles.
When some chatter in the community started to bring up random packages on peoples doors, Lee would send them an A-I generated children’s book titled, “The Night Bumble Brightened Goose Ridge” to explain what was going on.
With plans to continue the tradition, these Bumbles will make their way to Corvina Street for the 2024 holiday season while Highview Street comes together to decide on what character to get for the season.
“After COVID especially, it’s been really hard to find ways to get your neighbors out and to meet your neighbors and to make proper community,” Lee said. “So this has been an unexpectedly successful avenue to get people out of their homes meeting each other in a really cheerful, grateful, impactful way.”
The joy the kids expressed and even the community growing stronger, made the “silly” competition all worth it.
Lee said, “I thought people might think it was too weird or like not do it, but to have 28 of your neighbors do the silliest thing you can imagine with no further explanation other than to just be fun, it’s pretty awesome.”
Leave a Reply