A Maryland Estate Sale Worth the Drive From Alexandria

LOTHIAN, MD — If you grew up in southern Maryland, particularly Calvert County or southern Anne Arundel County, chances are you remember the magic of Christmas Lane.

The cars lined up, sometimes almost all the way back to Route 4. Children pressed their noses against the windows. And slowly, oh so slowly, families made their way down a quarter-mile driveway beneath arches of twinkling lights toward a magnificent white-columned mansion.

There were animated figures, a Santa waving from an upstairs balcony, and Christmas decorations everywhere.

For generations, a trip to Earl and Gloria Hargrove’s Holly Springs Farm was one of the highlights of the holiday season.

Now, more than two decades after the famous Christmas displays ended, the gates of that legendary property are opening again. And this time, you can take some of the magic home.

Beginning Friday, October 30, and continuing through Sunday, November 1, the Hargrove family estate will host a massive three-day sale featuring generations of furnishings, antiques, collectibles, artwork, books, and what looks like miles and miles of Christmas decorations.

This is no ordinary estate sale. The 82-acre property includes a 7,000-square-foot warehouse and the family’s grand estate home, both filled with treasures accumulated over decades.

And for anyone who remembers Christmas Lane, there is something particularly special: original signs, fixtures, and holiday decorations from the famous display are among the items advertised for sale.

The Family That Decorated Christmas for Presidents

To understand what makes this estate sale so unusual, you need to know a little about Earl Christian Hargrove Jr.

He and his father, Earl Sr., built a decorating business that helped produce some of America’s biggest celebrations. Beginning with President Harry Truman’s 1949 inauguration, the family business became known for elaborate parade floats, inaugural events, and major public festivities.

But Christmas was something special.

In 1954, during President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration, Hargrove Decorating began decorating the National Christmas Tree near the White House.

And Earl was not a man to let a little electrical problem spoil Christmas. During the 1955 National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, the lights at the top of the enormous tree suddenly went out. With the scaffolding already removed, Earl climbed the tree himself to repair the problem, according to historical reporting by Capital News Service.

Imagine that scene!

Christmas Lane Was a Family Affair

Back home in Lothian, Earl and Gloria were creating their own Christmas spectacular.

The couple purchased Holly Springs Farm in 1958, and their annual holiday decorations gradually grew into an enormous attraction.

By December 2000, The Washington Post reported that the display featured approximately 200,000 lights and 10 illuminated arches along the driveway, with more than 30,000 visitors expected that season.

For families who made the annual pilgrimage, the memories have lasted a lifetime.

The Hargroves didn’t need to create an elaborate Christmas show at home. After all, decorating was already their business. But they did it anyway, year after year, turning their own driveway into a place where thousands of other families could make Christmas memories together.

And now, pieces of that beloved tradition are part of this extraordinary estate sale.

Gloria’s Beautiful Home

Behind all the lights, pageantry, and presidential celebrations was a very real family, and Holly Springs was the heart of it.

Gloria Love Hargrove lived on the farm for decades until her death in March 2025 at age 92. Earl died in 2015.

As The Zebra reported in Gloria’s obituary, she was much more than the wife of the man who decorated for presidents. She took part in inaugural events, helped with floats and special celebrations, and even rode in a hot-air balloon for one production.

But the farm and family were central to her life. Here, the Hargroves raised their children, entertained relatives and friends, and collected a lifetime’s worth of stories and possessions.

From Christmas Decorations to Antique Treasures

The sale is being organized by Veteran Auctions, and the assortment is staggering.

Among the advertised offerings are antique and contemporary furniture, artwork, estate jewelry, garden furnishings, decorative accessories, housewares, clothing, electronics, and enormous collections of books and music. There are vinyl records, CDs, cassette tapes, and even 8-track tapes.

Photographs of the sale show decorative pottery, antique clocks, vintage toys, a rocking horse, an old-fashioned barber chair, and rooms full of colorful glassware and collectibles. Alexandria antique enthusiasts might be especially interested in the stoneware crocks bearing Alexandria, Virginia, markings.

But it is the Christmas collection, including pieces associated with Christmas Lane, that gives this sale its particular nostalgic appeal.

Want a sneak peek? The official estate-sale website has 167 photographs of items and collections at Holly Springs Farm. Browse them before you go, especially if you’re hunting for something specific. The collection is still being staged, so check the listing for updates, sale policies, and parking instructions.

For antique hunters in Alexandria, Washington, and Annapolis, the weekend offers a chance to explore a property with an extraordinary history. After all, how often do you get to shop the home of a family that helped decorate Christmas for presidents?

And if you happen to find an old Christmas Lane decoration that once delighted a carload of wide-eyed children, think of the memories you might be bringing home.

Take a Look Inside Holly Springs Farm

These photographs, courtesy of the estate sale organizers, offer a glimpse of the furnishings, Christmas Lane memorabilia, and collectibles on the property.

If You Go

What: Holly Springs Farm Hargrove Family Estate Sale
When: Friday, October 30; Saturday, October 31; and Sunday, November 1, 2026
Hours: 9 a.m.–3 p.m. daily
Where: 571 West Bay Front Road, Lothian, MD 20711
Organizer: Veteran Auctions

Approximate distances to Lothian: Old Town Alexandria, 35 miles; Annapolis, 16 miles; Washington, DC, 28 miles. Actual travel distance and time depend on the route and traffic.

Important parking instructions: Follow the long driveway toward the farmhouse. The organizer says designated parking is in the field to the left, before the house. Read the full instructions on the sale page before arriving.

Details and 167 photographs: View the Holly Springs Farm estate-sale listing.