Families bring joy with housing decorations and community party

Children and adults marveled at lights, faux-snow and plenty of inflatable displays while enjoying hot cocoa and cookies at the homes of the Garcia and Marek families Dec. 19. The two families offered a community block party to celebrate another year of friendly competition for best decorated house.
Neighbors Misty and David Garcia and Jeremy and Amanda Marek have hosted the free celebration for the past three years. According to David Garcia, the cocoa and cookies have served as a way to bring the two families together and spend time with their neighbors.
“This started one day when I told Misty, ‘Hey, we need to do something. We don’t give out Halloween candy. So instead, let’s do this.’ It’s more fun to do it this way. The first year we did it, Amanda came over and sat around with her daughter and then they did it again this year, and this year we put it on Facebook,” David Garcia said. “We got a lot more help this year. Last year we had my daughter and my son-in-law, but this time we have the Mareks and their daughter.”
While the Garcias have been decorating their home for the Port Lavaca Chamber of Commerce Holiday Decorating Contest since 1997, they began to consistently swap first place with the Mareks since 2022. Since then, Amanda Marek said, the two have enjoyed a friendly and warm competition followed by opening up their yards to the public with free cocoa and cookies.
“I love seeing the happiness of the kids,” Amanda Marek said. “Or when you’re sitting outside and you hear them go ‘Oh, look, look’ as they drive by. It’s great.”
Getting started early in November, the two families begin decorating their homes, Amanda said. However, while the planning and decorating might happen quickly, Misty Garcia said the real payoff is the joy that the two families bring to the community.
“This brings everybody together, even in the larger community. That’s why we wanted to do this. There are things to do in town, like the bayfront, but this is on a personal note from us,” Misty Garcia said.
While the Garcias took home the crown this year, quite literally as the Mareks gave them one to celebrate their victory, both families said that they were excited and ready to do it all over again in 2026.
“Oh, we have some secrets plans. We have some sketches going,” Amanda Marek said. “But we’ve got to keep it a secret.”
“Maybe we’ll build a bridge to connect the two houses,” David Garcia said. “But we love doing this for the kids.” 

Overall winners
Winners of the Port Lavaca Chamber of Commerce Holiday Decorating Contest, recognizing creativity across several categories. In the Battle of the Offices division, Hampton by Hilton took first place, followed by the Texas General Land Office Region 5 in second and SCS Hair Salon in third, with The Greenhouse/Pantry earning fourth place. In the Commercial category, The House of Hair claimed first place, followed by Port Lavaca Fire Department Station 2 in second and Station 1 in third. The Public Space award went to Our Lady of the Gulf for its nativity scene at the Bauer Community Center. In the Residential category, the Garcias of 530 Westwood Dr. earned first place, the MarekS of 535 Westwood Dr. placed second, and Michael Valdez of 214 Suncrest Dr. took third. Residential honorable mentions were awarded to homes at 302 Willowbend Dr. and 119 Spyglass Hill St. Main Street businesses were also recognized for their festive holiday decorating efforts.