Clayton Parrish spreads holiday cheer on the front lawn of his Newport News home.
His neighbors on Bruton Avenue often stop to take photos of the inflatable snowman atop his 1946 Oliver 70 Tractor.
“There’s a lot of negativity in the world these days, but when I get home from work and see someone stop walking their dog stop to look at it and smile or when I see people stop by with their kids, it makes me happy to know someone else is getting enjoyment out of it, too,” said Parrish, 27.
The tractor is green with red wheels. Parrish added strands of matching Christmas lights so it tractor glows at night.
Tractors have been a source of fond memories for Parrish since his childhood.
He and his father competed in tractor pulls, a motorsport designed to test the strength of the equipment and the skill of the driver, around the state.
His dad also used to own a hardware store in Hampton, and taught him how to repair the equipment.
The Oliver tractor didn’t run when Parrish bought it, but he fixed it up before deciding to use it as a holiday decoration about five years ago.
“I’ve always looked at it as a hobby, and I just thought it would make a good Christmas decoration with lights wrapped around it,” Parrish said. “It definitely brings a smile to me and my family that people want to stop and look at it.
“I think any time you can put something out there that other people get enjoyment out of, it’s a good thing.”
Jessica Nolte, 757-912-1675, jnolte@dailypress.com
