Think of Red Deer’s David Cruickshank as an elf on wheels.
Every holiday season for the last decade, the vintage vehicle holiday display he assembles in his front yard on Spruce Drive gets bigger and more elaborate.
This year there are three decorated cars and a truck on his lawn, carrying lit-up snowmen, as well as wreaths and Christmas gifts.
The sheer magic of seeing two 1920s-era Cadillacs, a 1917 Monroe, and a 1940 Ford truck trimmed in LED strip lights and bows is enough to make many motorists pull over to take photos.
“I do it for the people. I just really get thrilled when I see grandparents bring kids by,” said Cruickshank.
Elderly people have told him the cars from by-gone years give them a sense of nostalgia, while youngsters are delighted to spot vehicles unlike any they have seen before.
“The grandkids really get a charge out of it,” said Cruickshank, who doesn’t mind if children pose on the vehicles’ running boards for photos or even sit inside the cars.
Some families have left chocolates and cards in his yard as a thank-you. But Cruickshank believes he get as much enjoyment out of the holiday display as anyone.
“I just love Christmas,” said the 67-year-old.
His mom and mother-in-law both went big on holiday decorating, so he believes he and his wife Karen are carrying on the family tradition.
While some car buffs could be aghast that he leaves some open-roof vehicles sitting exposed to the elements, Cruickshank said, “So be it. I don’t mind that…”
At his age, he said he would rather enjoy these cars than leave them parked in a garage all winter. “You can’t be careful of everything in life. Sometimes you have to step out of bounds and have some fun.”
The Red Deerian has been tinkering with autos since he was a teenager in the early 1970s, moving from muscle cars to hot rods to vintage coupes.
As owner of Caliber Paint and Body and Red Deer Collision outlets in Red Deer, Lacombe and Innisfail, Cruickshank is in the fortunate position of having the equipment, space and know-how to re-do a lot of the body work.
Some of the cars were in pretty rusty shape when he bought them, but now they look nice enough to drive in the Westerner Days parade — which is his summertime tradition.
“I guess I feel lucky to have them,” he said.
Although neither Cruickshank’s dad nor grandfather were car guys, he’s gotten so much fulfillment from his car-restoration hobby, that he’s happy it can spread joy to others at Christmastime.
