Brian Scott was sure he wouldn’t be doing this again. After two straight years of transforming his suburban Naperville, Illinois home into a glittering, larger-than-life tribute to Taylor Swift, he had convinced himself that the tradition had reached its natural end. He had spent hundreds of hours cutting, painting, gluing, lifting, and assembling displays that attracted crowds from across the state. He had given up evenings, weekends, and sleep. Surely, he thought, that was enough.
But on Nov. 28 — while taking an order for 9,000 Christmas cards for his printing business — Brian found himself right back where he always ends up this time of year: knee-deep in cardboard, lights, and Swift-themed props, racing the setting sun as a neighborhood trolley tour inched closer. His wife, Amy, was right beside him, laughing at the absurdity of it all. Their daughters, Becca and Emily, had already accepted the inevitable. Once again, the Scotts were creating another Taylor Swift Christmas extravaganza they swore they wouldn’t make.
In their quiet corner of Chicago’s western suburbs, the Scotts have become something of local legends — the family who somehow turns their house into a full-scale Swiftie pilgrimage site every December. Every year, their lawn becomes a spectacle of joy and chaos, humming with the kind of creative energy usually reserved for music videos, film sets, or theme park attractions. And every year, thousands of fans show up to admire the work, take photos, trade friendship bracelets, and feel just a little closer to the pop star whose music has defined an era.
What started in 2023 as a spontaneous idea sparked by Amy’s trip to see the Eras Tour movie has now become a beloved community tradition — albeit one the Scotts claim they never actually intended to build into a trilogy. But here they are again, creating what they jokingly call “the end of an era,” even though they’ve said that before.
If this is truly the final installment, they’re going out with a bang.
Over the past two holiday seasons, the Scotts have managed to recreate seven of Taylor Swift’s iconic albums across their yard. In 2023, the display featured “Speak Now,” “Red,” “1989,” and “Evermore,” each corner of the lawn transformed into a mini universe reflecting its era’s unique visual identity. Their 2024 setup expanded further into “Folklore,” “Reputation,” and “The Tortured Poets Department,” bringing mystical woods, moody tones, and vintage-typewriter themes into the mix. Nothing they built was simple. Nothing was phoned in.
They crafted a moss-covered cottage from a discarded bed frame a neighbor set out during spring cleaning. They turned used pickle-jar lids into typewriter keys, painting each one with precise fonts and weathered edges to match the aesthetic of Swift’s more literary eras. Every detail, from lyric signs to costume replicas to symbolic props, was handled with meticulous care. Their yard became a living mood board that Swifties understood at a glance.
This year, they pushed themselves even further by adding three new eras they had always wanted to tackle: “Lover,” “Midnights,” and the newly added “The Life of a Showgirl.” With these additions, their display now spans ten eras — a visual timeline of Taylor Swift’s evolution, each moment crafted with the same sincerity and delight that fuels the fandom itself.
Brian and Amy have their own favorites. “We never did ‘Midnights,’ and it’s one of our favorites,” Brian said. “And we never did ‘Lover,’ which is also one of our favorites. And then the new ‘Life of a Showgirl.’” Amy beams when she talks about this year’s work, calling it her “favorite so far” — a bold claim, considering how impressive the previous years were.
Their daughters are just as involved. Becca, who has grown up helping with these elaborate seasonal projects, has been constructing a light installation meant to mimic falling “Midnight Rain,” stretching it across a towering arch that glows above the walkway. Beneath it, a neon sign announces: “Meet me at midnight.”
Visitors stop in their tracks when they see it, mesmerized by the cascading lights. Many say it feels like stepping directly into one of Swift’s music videos — the dreamy, cinematic kind that fans rewatch endlessly.
And then, of course, there’s Travis Kelce — the unofficial mascot of the Scotts’ holiday tradition.
For three consecutive years, Taylor Swift’s fiancé has appeared on the Scotts’ roof in some form. In 2023, the life-size Kelce figure wore his Kansas City Chiefs gear. In 2024, he was dressed in an Eras-Tour-style tuxedo, giving the entire display a playful wink. And this year, the Scotts took it one step further: Kelce is down on one knee, proposing in a snowy, romantic tableau that fans immediately recognized as a nod to the real-life engagement Swifties have been obsessing over.
It’s a sentimental — and very public — creative choice. But for the Scotts, it’s part of the fun. Their displays have always celebrated Swift’s storytelling, evolution, and moments of joy, so integrating her love story felt natural.
Amy laughs whenever people bring it up. She insists she’s not trying to predict anything or make a statement — she’s just capturing a moment in pop culture that has brought fans happiness. And judging by the delighted shrieks of visitors who notice “Travis on the roof,” the gamble paid off.
Even with the viral attention, the Scotts have always kept one grounding principle at the center of their project: generosity.
Every winter, they use the massive crowds their display attracts to support Little Friends, a nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. QR codes are placed throughout the yard so visitors can donate easily while they stroll through the displays. These donations have grown each year as word spreads and Swifties travel farther and farther to see the house in person.
It’s one of the reasons people return — beyond the artistry, beyond the fandom, beyond the lights and music. There’s purpose behind the spectacle, and the community has embraced it wholeheartedly.
The Scotts never pressure anyone to give. They simply place the QR codes in visible spots and let the kindness of visitors create momentum. Many fans have shared online posts about how meaningful it feels to visit a display that not only celebrates a beloved artist but also supports a meaningful cause.
It’s the kind of heart-centered gesture Swift herself would likely appreciate.
Of course, there is one question everyone asks:
What would Taylor think?
It’s something the Scotts wonder too — though they try not to dwell on it. “Hopefully, she doesn’t think it’s creepy,” Becca joked. “I just imagine if someone made an entire house of me.” She has a point. It’s an overwhelming level of fandom — the kind that might make any celebrity pause. But the visitors who show up year after year insist that Swift would be touched.
“I think she would love it,” said Christie Eustace, a devoted Swift fan who has visited the Scotts’ house for three consecutive years. “We’ve actually come the last three years. Just a Taylor Swift fan and wanted to see what they had this year.”
Most guests agree that the display feels less like obsession and more like tribute — an enormous, joyful expression of creativity inspired by the music that shaped a generation. The Scotts aren’t doing this for fame or attention. They’re doing it because it makes people happy. Their yearly transformation brings magic to the neighborhood and sparks conversations between strangers who instantly connect through friendship bracelets and shared admiration.
Even if Taylor herself never sees the display, the love and happiness it generates is real.
What began as a single holiday experiment has now grown into something far bigger than the Scotts ever imagined. Their house has become a landmark, a winter attraction, and a piece of local folklore. They’ve watched little kids run up to the displays with wide eyes. They’ve listened to teenagers gasp when they recognize their favorite lyric printed on a sign. They’ve seen grandparents, not quite sure who Taylor Swift is, marvel at the craftsmanship and effort.
And in 2023, Google Maps even unofficially labeled their home “Swiftmas House,” cementing its status as a real-world destination.
Yet the Scotts remain humble. They still laugh at the fact that their annual production has gained so much attention. They still insist they never planned to make this a multi-year endeavor. And every November, they swear it’s their last time doing it.
But then the decorations come out.
The ideas start flowing.
The lights flicker on.
And suddenly, they’re right back where they started — building magic one era at a time.
Whether this truly is the “end of an era” or simply another playful declaration remains to be seen. But as long as there are Swifties eager to visit, as long as Little Friends benefits from the generosity of fans, and as long as the Scotts feel that familiar spark of creativity, it’s hard to imagine this tradition fading anytime soon.
In Naperville, one family has turned their home into a celebration of music, community, generosity, and joy. And for visitors who travel from near and far, the Scotts’ Christmas House (Taylor’s Version) is more than a display — it’s a memory, a moment, and a little piece of wonder glowing brightly in the winter cold.