PLANO, Texas — The Tallos and Buchanan families on Ports O' Call Court in Plano have taken Christmas decor to the next level.
The families live across from each other and take part in a friendly, neighborly duel to see who can "out-Christmas" who.
"This is the craziness that is our front yard," said Katie Tallos, who has been decorating the front yard with inflatables with her husband Gregory. It is a tradition that first started eight years ago. "We're just trying to bring a little spark to the dark," she said.
"When I saw [theirs], I'm like, 'OK!'" said Brenda Buchanan. "We're just trying to see who can out-do who."
The Buchanans and the Tallos families are not so quietly holding this court. One neighbor between them put up a 'ditto' sign with lights pointing in two directions to both houses.
The Buchanans only moved in four years ago, but ever since then, it has been a race to fill up the front yard.
"We came back and their yard was like coated! And we're like, 'Ok!'" said Tallos.
If you ask Buchanan, she'd tell you she has more variety. But the Tallos' have more inflatables. The latest count of blow-ups go to the Buchanans by a score of 121 to 102. But, Buchanan will admit she may have "missed a few."
Both families do have a common enemy and that is the wind. The Buchanans have even sent over a few broken inflatables for the Tallos' because Gregory Tallos has become adept at fixing them when they tear.
"We see our street looking better than anybody elses," said Buchanan, laughing.
The Tallos family has a Facebook page for their holiday decorated home. Gregory Tallos dresses up as Santa and visits with the hundreds of children who stop by. They've also organized for donations to help local charities like Minnie's Food Pantry.
With this friendly back-and-forth between two Plano families. It's hard not to see who wins Christmas -- We all do.