'Christmas Disneyland of Bonsall' celebrates heritage

Rick Monroe

Special to the Village News

Michael Hefner said some locals call his home the “Christmas Disneyland of Bonsall.” The elaborate, festive decor inside the home features 40 Christmas trees and other decorations that are indeed Disneyesque but with a personal touch.

The public isn’t invited inside the home on Aquaduct Road, just west of I-15, but Hefner expects more than 200 friends and family to visit for a party in early December.

Hefner admits that it’s a bit overboard but cites a good reason for celebrating.

“The inspiration comes from when my grandmother, Guadalupe Quesada, immigrated from Mexico in 1926 when she was 12 years old to live with her aunt in Pasadena. She arrived on Christmas Eve and seeing all the lights and Christmas trees, she was awestruck.

“From that time on, the family went all-in, in remembrance of her coming to the U.S. and the blessings here in the U.S. Each year, the celebration has grown.”

Hefner had the home built in 2005, so this will be their 16th annual Christmas party here. The exterior is decorated, Hefner said, but the driveway is up a long hill, not suited for drive-by looks. However, you can see a 16-foot Nativity Star from I-15 northbound. There are lights and reindeer and Santa fixtures in the front.

There’s a huge wreath on the front door, but it’s when you enter the home that the adventure begins. The first thing you see is a miniature village, complete with an electric train.

That’s just the start. This house had 37 decorated trees set up over two weeks before Thanksgiving, and another three in the kitchen were going up after Hefner’s Thanksgiving meal for a gathering of 20-some guests.

Each of the Christmas trees has its own name or theme. For example, there’s the Snowman Tree, Christmas Card Tree, and Red Bow Tree. Others include the Bird House, Gift Box, and Tiffany trees.

There’s also a large tree decorated with gold angels framed by the grand staircase with Poinsettias.

The non-tree decorations include reindeer pulling sleighs along the tall ceilings, Santa and snowball decorations on all the windowsills, snowmen on the walls, a centerpiece with Santa’s workshop.

There are a dozen miniature trees, 3-feet tall, with these themes: Home-made (by kids and grandkids), Angels, Religious, Mermaids, Characters, Gone with the Wind (Scarlet), Purple, Disney, 12 Days of Christmas, Norman Rockwell, the 1950s (many from his grandmother), and Chinese New Year.

One of the larger trees is the Beach Tree with flamingos, shells and seahorses. Others include an Elf Tree, Dancers, a Bear Tree, and a Santa Tree that includes many hand-carved ornaments by Hefner’s brother.

Additional themed trees are the Blue Ribbon, Travel, Victorian, and Stamps. (Hefner is retired, after working for 26 years for the U.S. Post Office).

There is also a section in the home for five nativity scenes, as well as Christmas trees to honor Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

“It’s about bringing everyone together,” Hefner explained.

A long garland of Christmas cards saved over many years brings fond memories.

The featured Traditional Tree is 13 feet tall with a star on top. Another popular large tree is the rotating Presidential Tree with an American flag in the background.

Hefner is serious about politics and in September was selected the Republican Patriot of the Year by the San Diego Republican Party. He said he was in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6 when the White House was under siege and four years earlier attended the President Trump inauguration. Hefner said he has been with his partner Terry Brown for 41 years and married for 28 years. They are foster parents. He describes himself as a conservative Catholic, Republican, and gay.

Hefner’s mother, Sylvia Colton, had her own Santa collection for 30 years before moving to the guest home on the property in 2007. She contributed hundreds of ornaments to Hefner’s collection, he said.

Hefner said his home was built with the Christmas decorations in mind. The large great room has multiple light switches for the different areas where power would be needed for the trees and displays.

When the architect asked what would go into the large room under the stairwell, Hefner replied that it was a storage room to be filled with containers for Christmas ornaments and decorations.

How many ornaments? They would be impossible to count, Hefner said, and the number continues to grow.

“I’ve had trees and ornaments donated,” he said, “including the Victorian Tree.”

“We have enough ornaments for five more trees, but no room,” Hefner added. “If something won’t fit in the storage room, we can’t keep it.”

The layout of the trees has some variation from year to year, he noted, mostly with the major trees.

The home, on a hill overlooking east Bonsall, has solar panels. “We save power during the year, but give it all back during Christmas,” he quipped.

The decorations stay up until after Jan. 6, Epiphany. Once decorations are down, he said the feeling is always, “the house is so empty.”

“The trees, ornaments, cards and decorations bring back wonderful memories,” Hefner said. “It’s certainly worth all the work.”