Holiday magic
Photo by: Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune
Tom Anderson replaced an elf who had fallen off a spinning ladder in his
Santa's Workshop display Monday night. He conceived and built the display himself.
A master magician knows all the tricks
to light up his Maple Grove home.
December 4, 2009
"We took a family trip to Nebraska when I was a kid, and we saw a bunch of homes that were decorated: life-sized Nativity scenes, huge greeting cards and lights," said Anderson, of Maple Grove. He came home to Minnesota and, with the help of his parents, created a 4-by-8-foot greeting card with the message "Season's Greetings -- the Andersons" on it. That 45-year-old decoration is still a signature piece in his and wife Colleen's yard every year.
When he was 18, Anderson created the Santa, sleigh and reindeer that still adorn the peak of his roof. "I can't get that down until the spring thaw," he said with a laugh. In 1991 he had to use belaying ropes and a rappelling harness to secure himself so he could safely install Santa on the roof -- a result of the Halloween blizzard that year.
While Anderson's display sports its share of traditional inflatables, wire, plastic and "blow mold" figures, he has continued to handcraft much of it. It's clear from the ornaments that "sleight of" is not the only thing his hands are capable of, and that he's as comfortable performing in a carpenter's apron as he is in a top hat and tuxedo. (See displays of his magic at www.magician tomanderson.com.)
The tradition has carried on with the three Anderson children, who still help with the decorating when they visit. Nicole, 23, has even followed dad into the magician trade, after years of performing as his assistant. She now has her own show at Disney World in Florida.
Anderson's love of lights shows no sign of dimming. Every year friends and neighbors anxiously ask if they'll be doing the contest-winning display. Anderson is happy to oblige, saying, "As long as people like it, we'll keep doing it."
A holiday drive past 6497 Glacier Lane in Maple Grove gives you a life history of Tom Anderson's passion for pleasing his audience, with a table saw, a string of lights and a little magic.
Brian Leehan • 612-673-4583
