After 25 years of bringing Christmas cheer to Pensacola residents, Mike Burleson is putting away his elves, candy canes and Grinch displays.

Burleson is well-known for the over-the-top Christmas displays he creates at his 1700 E. Gadsden St. home.

The home, at the northeast corner of 17th Avenue and Gadsden Street, is on the well-traveled route between Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, and Burleson's display has been popular with passersby for years.

"It was a lot of work but I always loved doing. I would have generations of families that would come by, people who saw it as kids and would bring their kids back to see it," Burleson said.

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But Burleson decided this year was a good time to end the display. He fell out of a tree a few years ago while putting up lights.

"I am getting too old and too fat to be out there hanging off the roof," he said.

A Cantonment man bought most of his decorations last year, but Burelson still put a few items in yard.

The 64-year-old retired Santa Rosa County School District psychologist and amateur woodworker is still making some Christmas decorations for friends. He is known for his creative wooden displays, which include Santas, nativity scenes, elves and Grinches.

He likes the wooden creations because they look festive both during the day and when they are lit up at night.

Burleson said he caught the Christmas decorating bug as child in Milton when he would help a neighbor string lights.

"He was an unbelievable decorator and I would crawl up in the trees and help him," Burleson said.

Since then, he has always enjoyed Christmas decorating.

"But I think there are two phases in life — when you believe in Santa and when you look like Santa," he said, laughing. "Now that I look Santa, I think I'm too old for all the decorating."

Melissa Nelson Gabriel can be reached at mnelsongab@pnj.com or 850-426-1431.