Holiday House Brings Smiles All Year

Finding joy in making others happy is the love language of Coronado resident Golsa Brydges. Even if you don’t know her by sight, you have no doubt seen and enjoyed her festively decorated home at 1119 Third Street as you come onto the island.

Originally from Persia, she and her family moved to the U.S., via Switzerland, when she was just nine years old. Her love of holiday decorating came from seeing a Girl Scout mom when she was growing up who was obsessed with the holidays. Since it was all new to her, she fully embraced it to make the holidays magical for her children.

Golsa grew up in La Jolla, and her husband Brooks grew up in Coronado and graduated from CHS in 1987. They always knew they would move to Coronado to raise their family and made that dream a reality six years ago. They got married at The Del on the Windsor Lawn, and enjoy living in the community. “I adore how people care and look out for each other,” notes Golsa. “I love that my three kids can ride their bikes to school and feel safe here.”

If you think the outside of the house is overflowing with celebratory decorations, Golsa shares that the inside has even more holiday décor for all seasons. For the most part, she decorates the outside of the house by herself, but her kids help with the inside.

When asked where she gets her inspiration and décor items, she shares that she is constantly on the lookout for themes and then shops at a variety of stores and online. Last Halloween, you may remember the Wizard of Oz theme, showcasing the Emerald City and tying into the Wicked movie release. She won’t share details yet, but she promises that this year’s Halloween theme will be even more elaborate and worth waiting for.

What about storage? Because of the damage from the elements and lots of inspired, innovative ideas, she mostly uses new decorations each year to create her extravagant visions.

There is always something festive in front of her home to bring a smile to passersby, and that is because she celebrates Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day (because she is obsessed with The Golden Girls), Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Set-up generally takes two days, but in the case of last Halloween, it took her two weeks to execute the intricate design. “I usually place the decorations and then step back and see what’s missing,” she comments.

Last week, after she set up her colorful flower-inspired Easter theme, she decided it needed 100 more eggs and promptly placed an order so she could add them to the display. One year, she set up a Christmas tree outside with real (edible) candy canes. It was so popular that she had to restock the candy canes every three days. She is grateful that her displays have mostly been immune to theft, with only one ceramic Santa stolen.

“I love bringing people together to make memories, so I host Easter, Christmas, and Halloween parties for my family and friends each year. The family can also be seen zipping around town on their decorated golf cart.

A busy mom, wife, runner, and twin, she also works at the Coronado Tennis Center, helps at her family’s Bandar Restaurant in the San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, and juggles her kids’ sports and school schedules. She shares that she’s obsessed with traditions and plans a host of activities for the family to do each year, from picking out ornaments, taking pumpkin patch photos, and even cutting down their Christmas tree.

“It’s fun because sometimes people, both locals and commuters, leave notes telling how much our holiday displays brighten their days,” she says. As they are currently looking for a new home, she emphasized to her husband that it must be in a visible area, so her decorations can continue to make people happy. What started out as a way to make the most out of the holidays for her kids has turned into a year-round hobby, as she embraces her creative flair, bringing smiles and joy to the community.