Miracle on 34th Street

Two blocks south of The Avenue (West 36th Street) in the quirky neighborhood of Hampden lurks one of the most unexpected charms one can find in Charm City - an entire block that dedicates itself fully and passionately to putting on the most over-the-top spectacles of the holiday season.  No sooner has the detritus from Thanksgiving Day been cleared from the table than the residents of this stretch of West 34th St. set about the task of turning their otherwise nondescript street into a bizarre and wonderful display, where tackiness knows no bounds, and the sheer volume of seasonal decoration defies description.

The ringleaders of this regal riot of ornaments, trinkets, gimcracks, gewgaws, trimmings, and tinsel are Bob and Darlene Hosier.  They have been at it since the early 1980s, and what started as a simple affinity for decorating for the holiday has grown into a eye-popping, block-wide event, with other residents joining in the fun and decorating their own houses using different themes.  Aside from Hosier’s house, which almost assuredly has more Christmas ephemera per square inch than any other place on the planet, annual features include “Flock Party,” a house featuring dozens of pink flamingos,  “Peace House,” which celebrates diversity and inclusion, a house featuring Hanukkah-themed decorations, a Natty Boh house, a house where visitors can drop off a letter for Santa (and expect a response!), and an Ocean City-themed house.