'Tis the season for decorations, and one apartment complex is serious about lighting up.
University Corner, near West Glenn Avenue, is shining bright, with Christmas lights on nearly every apartment.
Alix Whitaker, senior in early childhood education, said the decorations are about sharing the spirit.
"We just love Christmas," Whitaker said. "People add on more and more lights every day. We want to keep making it brighter."
Whitaker, whose decorations include a flying pig, Snoopy Christmas countdown, two light-up snowmen and 13 light strands, said she and her roommates put lights up last year and were surprised to see others followed suit.
"We like to think we started it," Whitaker said. "This year, it's been fun seeing who can put up the most lights, but we're not really competing. We just like to encourage others and spread the cheer."
First Realty, which owns University Corner, does not encourage or discourage the decorations, according to Abbey Reeves, leasing agent.
"We haven't been by to see them at night," Reeves said, "but we don't have a problem with it."
Nick Vita, senior in international business, said he is taking his decorations to another level.
"We just went all out this year," Vita said. "We have over 2,000 lights, and we're not done yet. It's turned into more of a competition this year, but really, we're just all about Christmas here."
Vita said he and his roommates looked for the cheapest, tackiest decorations.
"I think it's cool that our apartment does this," Vita said. "I wouldn't mind if you could see Auburn from space."
Others are not interested in competing, but want to be part of the fun.
"We don't compete, but some people get serious about it," said Justin Luttrell, sophomore in aerospace engineering. "We just felt the need to be festive."
Mark Norton, sophomore in mechanical engineering, said he planned to decorate before he realized the rest of the complex would too.
"We already wanted to, and when we came back from Thanksgiving and saw other people with lights up, we knew we had to," Norton said. "It's nice to live in a place that's in the Christmas spirit."
Luttrell said he has gotten questions about the complex's light show.
"We've actually had friends drive by and ask us what kind of competition we have going on," Luttrell said. "They ask if we get some kind of reward, but we don't. We just wanted to be cheerful. We're just being kids."
Decorating also serves as a stress reliever before finals, according to Caroline Cordle, senior in special education.
"It's fun to drive around and look at people's decorations," Cordle said, "and what makes this special is that it's a college apartment complex, where you wouldn't expect to see many decorations."
Cordle said complex residents would love other apartments to join in.
"We love seeing the decorations," Cordle said. "You can't help but smile looking at it, and we want to spread that around Auburn."
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