SALT LAKE CITY — This time of year Forrest Nunley, or most commonly known to his neighbors in the Avenues area of Salt Lake as Mr. Frosty, is busy at work with his elves in important Christmas matters.
“Every year people ask me, how many [Christmas lights and decorations] do you have? How many do you put out? How many lights do you do? And I don't like to count,” Nunley said.
For over two decades, Mr. Frosty has spent countless hours on his annual Frosty’s Winter Wonderland light display which has become a huge draw for Salt Lake area residents and beyond.
While bringing yearly holiday joy to the community, the display also provides soothing comfort for Forrest’s daily battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
But this is no Blue Christmas story, it’s a tale that started with one tree.
How it all started
“The first year we were married my wife had some extra stuff in a box we did our first tree together and and so she goes well, put some outside so came out on the deck and put them on the deck,” Nunley said.
Five years into decorating, Forrest began collecting a special kind of Christmas decor.
“So, I go out every weekend and fill my truck full of blow molds as much as I could afford and started collecting. You always wanted something you don't have to get bigger and bigger,” Nunley said.
Blow mold decorations
Vintage blow mold decorations have been a classic part of holiday decorations for over a century in the United States and are still highly sought after by collectors, like Mr. Frosty.
From Frosty the Snowman, to Santa, to Snoopy, to Scooby, to nativity scenes, Mr. Frosty has it all. Four sheds full of them to be slightly exact.
“They're very nostalgic. People grew up with the blow molds. Oh, we had that one. We've had that one. My family had that one for so long.”
“This is from the 1930s how old it is and how thin it is. Someone's painted it before me. I don't like to paint myself. I like to show the vintage part, you know, the painting of the paint and stuff.”
His collection is so extensive that he even had a traditional Christmas lantern from my hometown in the Philippines.
How long does it take to put up the display?
Setting up the display every year isn’t as simple as taking out his decorations and putting them up on a whim. Mr. Frosty says his previous life as a painting contractor has helped him create an efficient and attractive display every year.
"I know how to run crews and construction, so it's almost the same way, you know? You've got to have everything planned the day before," he said.
John Suarez, who works for Mr. Frosty, says the house is a one-of-a-kind spectacle.
“We think it's so beautiful because, in my country, we have never seen something as majestic, as elegant, as the decoration that Mr. Forrest puts,” Suarez said.
Preparing for the next year
Mr. Frosty starts preparing his next display at the same time Santa heads back to the North Pole.
Suarez says the actual preparation takes over a month, from cleaning the garden to coordinating with Mr. Frosty to figure out where all the lights and blow molds go.
Forrest is thankful for Suarez and others who have helped him over the years as Parkinson’s has made it physically challenging to do the job alone.
“When I'm doing nothing and bored, Parkinson’s seems to be there,” Nunley said. “But when I'm working and got my brain so busy and something else something so big and I gotta be so focused and so working so hard, mentally and physically it's been really good for me.”
A full Christmas experience
His winter wonderland has also become more than just a light display, it has become an experience. Mr. Frosty will often greet visitors by offering candy canes or hot chocolate, he even puts out a propane fire pit to keep people warm.
While Mr. Frosty admits that age has caught up with his holiday hobby, the reward is always worth it.
“It's a passion, it's a love, but to see families come up and their kids to make an impression on them for the rest of their lives, that's pretty special to us," Nunley said. "As well you can do to the community to make other people happy."
The display is located at 805 E. 18th Avenue for anyone who wants to check it out.
