Bruce Mertz, the Concord man known around Contra Costa County as ‘Mr. Christmas’, has died. He was 87.
Mertz owned the home on Olive Dr. in Concord, and for 36-years during Christmastime, he decorated his home with thousands of lights and custom made characters.
A documentary about Mertz was made by filmmaker Nick Palmer in 2014.
Palmer released the following statement to Claycord.com about ‘Mr. Christmas’.
“Bruce was such a special guy. His generosity was certainly no secret to anyone who came by his house at Christmastime over the years. But while making our movie, I got the opportunity to see some of the quieter, less public ways he shared that generosity with his friends and family. Whether it was covering the medical bills when one of his friends needed surgery, or covering breakfast when another friend was out of work, Bruce’s kindness went well beyond his Christmas lights. I feel very lucky to have gotten to know him, and I’m so glad he was able to share so much joy with us over the years. He will certainly be missed.”
You can watch the documentary below.
Rest in Peace, ‘Mr. Christmas’.
87 comments
we should use the taxpayer money to build a statue of him at the Concord pavilion
Thank you Bruce for all the great memories.
His jacket was the best. Sad to hear of his passing.
May you rest in peace Mr. Mertz. My condolences to the family. Yes, that would be a wonderful idea Lil P. I know he truly brought the spirit of good tidings to our family during the Holiday Seasons.
Awh! Remembering walking to his house as s kid as well as my kids walking to his house to the lights!! RIP Mr Xmas!!
He brought so much joy, thank you Mr. Christmas and R.I.P.
He will be missed! He brought so many smiles to all who visited his house! Rest In Peace ❤️
Sad sad day. RIP MR. Xmas
Rest I peace Mr. Christmas thank you for all the great years you brought to me and my kids. In someways Christmas won’t be the same, thank you! I’m with @lil p the city of concord need to remember you some how. You are forever Mr.Christmas in Concord and thank you!
I’m so sad to hear this! We went and saw his house a few times when we lived there. It was fabulous! A sad Christmas this year without him.
Such a wonderful family tradition since before our kids were born. We were sad when the lights went out a couple of years ago. We bought the DVD at that time and just rewatched it on your link. Thank you for sharing. Mr. Xmas will be missed. Sending love and blessings to all he left behind, including his extended Christmas time Concord Family!
This was a man who made the world a better place.
Thank you Mr. Christmas.
He was so sweet. He will be greatly missed. Our daughter, Any just loved him and loved going to see his homeevery Chrsitmas. It was one of our traditions!
Doubt Mr. Mertz ever shut down a freeway with a divisive demonstration, ever tried to shakedown passengers in a BRAT car or was ever a flag disrespecting punk…instead he used his talent to bring a little joy into the lives of his community. Bless his soul.
Oh no! So sad to hear .. RIP Mr. Christmas
I have been driving by his house for years showing my daughter and then my grandkids!! He was a special man and will live my heart…I still have his photos on my bulletin board. You are among the angels now..
A valued member of the of the community who thought of others and was willing to use his talent and time to give us lasting happy memories. RIP
May you rest in peace Mr. Christmas . You will allways be missed and loved by family.
His neighbor Lexie should live the tradition on!!!
Mr. Christmas did a wonderful thing for so many people out of the simple kindness of his heart. He lit up his home with wonderful, colorful and decorative lights for everyone from all over to watch and enjoy during the Christmas season. And that brought him great happiness. He was a special person and he will be missed for many years to come. RIP Mr. Christmas aka Mr. Mertz….
RIP Mr, Christmas …… a piece of you in so many heart’s …. Joyful memories Shared with many ….. May Your kind Spirit Live Forever ……. Condolences to your Family And Friends.
As a later resident of Concord, I didn’t know about Mr. Christmas until my (now) husband took me by the Mr. Christmas house on our 3rd date. <3 One of my favorite memories.
Such sad news….Rest in Peace Mr. Christmas and thank you for all the joy you have brought with your wonderful displays over the years. You will be missed 🙁
RIP Mr. Christmas!
RIP Mr Christmas
I loved seeing the smiles on my children’s faces as they stared at his special light show (and his awesome flashing hat and jacket) . . . we still have his pictures / postcards on our fridge . . . it was a tradition for me and my family “dad, can we drive past Mr. Christmas tonight?” that will be greatly missed.
Condolences to his family 🙁
P-Reign
Thanks for the memories for myself and my children!
R.I.P. brother ,rest in eternal paradise…………………..
It is a sad day. We would take our kids to see his light show every Christmas Eve. Then, as our kids started having kids we’d bring them to see the light show every Christmas Eve. It is truly the end of an era I’m sad to say. He will be missed. God rest you merry gentleman. Peace be with you. Condolences to your family and friends. Good-bye Mr. Christmas we love you.
Thanks for all of the wonderful memories Mr. Christmas, you will be greatly missed! Condolences to his family.
Concord should have a light paradparading his name. You have kids, adults, bicycles , strollers and costumes covered in lights.
It would be a great town tradition to start and even though we can no longer bring or kids and our selfs to his home, we can bring them to the lights , a new tradition in his name.
He will be Missed. Loved the show of lights at Christmas too.
R I.P. Mr. Christmas.
All the lights in heaven are lit up in his honor.
So Sad; he was a huge part of Concord. I will miss going by every year and seeing his decorations. Over the years he has made so many Family’s, Adults, and kids at heart happy. Helped to bring that warmth of the holidays that I needed sometimes; to help get into the spirit.
I’m sure he will be decorating for everyone now up there. Many blessings to his family and friends. Concord will miss him..
YES to the other post. Think Concord should do some kind of memorial. ( Decorate Todas Santos during December like he would, in his name. So his Joy & happens will live on..!!). Come on Concord id donate!!
Some one needs to call ABC and contact that Xtreme decorating show. Get them to do a segment on him!!!
I’ll miss your spirit Mr. Christmas 🎅🏼
@ #1 and 14: Why must you bring cynicism and politics into this? Can’t we have one topic as innocent as this one without sardonic undertones?
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/eastbaytimes/obituary.aspx?n=bruce-mertz&pid=186915430&
RIP
The world was a better place with you in it.
I am so sad to see you go. You gave us many years of happy Holidays. My family, my in laws, my cousins and many friends and many more enjoyed your brilliant display.
We will all miss you.
You are young again.
Have fun with your wife.
He has brought so much joy to so many people. The City of Concord needs to honor this man for what he has done to bring so much joy to our city. Always out front to greet people with a smile. He will be missed but never forgotten. We still have one of his greeting cards on our fridge.
Heaven got another angel. Sympathy to his family and friends.
Very sad.
Aww… this hurts my heart… I remember meeting him when A.Js was still there, remember thanking him for his beautiful Xmas display each year. Forever will you be remembered and missed..R.I.P Mr. XMAS. 😢
Visiting Mr. Christmas and collecting the annual photo was a beloved tradition for my family for many years. We often went the first night, Thanksgiving evening, and then would swing by several times throughout the season. Goodbye to kind, creative, gentle Mr. Christmas, and thanks for the memories! (Love the documentary, too!)
RIP Mr Christmas you were truly a wonderful man. Your Christmas display was the best I have every seen we used to bring all the kids by for years during the holidays to see your display, you will truly be missed but Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many.. May you light up heaven with your lights and you will never be forgotten.
Our community sure will miss Mr. Xmas. Rest in Peace Mr. Mertz.💖
Christmas will have a little less light now. RIP
What a giant heart! So sad to hear of his passing. And thanks for posting the documentary. This type of holiday tradition is swiftly disappearing across the country. How many “Mr Christmas” people do you know of who are starting new magical displays now? The loss of this sort of civic pride gnaws away at the fabric of a community. Merry Christmas to you all.
RIP Mr Christmas and Thank You from the Williams family
So sad and tearful to hear it. He had touched my heart every year by so much hard work in order to do something for all of us. God bless him and his family.
Thank you for sharing your joy to all of us.
Well, Damn Christmas will be mush less cheerful and way less bright this year. Rest well Mr. Christmas.
Such a nice person. RIP Bruce.
RIP Mr Christmas! Thanks for making my children’s Christmases wonderful. You are loved by many in these parts!
May you rest peacefully….
RIP Mr. Christmas. Mr. Mertz brought so much joy to Concord and surrounding areas. I thank you so much for all the joy he brought a Christmas for my family. To start the holiday season I always found Christmas by going by his house. He will truly be missed.
RIP Mr Mertz. You honored your dear wife so sweetly, with a fabulous decoration celebrating Christmas. I understand he didn’t care for the holiday, but he put up all those lights to honor his wife, who loved Christmas I pray you both are now together and celebrating eternal life. God Bless. Prayers for their family and friends. I’m so sorry for your loss.
I’m so very sorry to read this! I visited this house with my parents and sister and then took my own kids for years. Very Beautiful each year! His yard brought so much happiness to so many!
RIP Bruce
For 36 years my children, niece’s and nephews would come to see your house. They all loved seeing you with your jacket and hat that lit up. They also loved it when you’d give them the 3D glasses to look through. Were gonna miss you and I’ll miss seeing you at Country Waffles. Rest in peace my friend
So sad. U were such a great person. Everyone will miss u. I brought my grandkids so many times to see ur show. Rest in peace. We all miss u.
What a lovely idea to erect a staue of him. I wonder how long we would be able to have it before someone would not like it & have it taken down, It might offend people. Look at what the people are doing now taking important staues down as it offends a group.
Thanks for the memories! As a young woman, your house was definitely on my Christmas “hit” list! I loved your displays. My sister livedbon Clark Lane, I am sure that she enjoyed your displays, also! GodcBless You,,and Your Family!
Sir, you were an inspiration and a cherished of holiday love and Christmas spirit. Me and my family made it our traditional trek (2 BLOCKS) to see your wonderful light display after our thanks giving dinner as it always marked the beginning of our Christmas season and my children could not wait to see your wonderful display. Take your beautiful ideas forthwith up to heaven and light it up.
I am not sure how many times my family and friends drove down Olive Drive to watch the lights as part of our holiday tradition, but I know
Mr XMas will be missed. We met him
In front of his house on multiple occasions and admired his desire to give to the community. I have several his postcards that will carry on as a memory of those enjoyable times.
Mr. Christmas (Mr. Xxmas) brought so much joy to our family. We went to his house for so many years to see his unique light display, and we always looked forward to seeing him dressed in his light up jacket coming out his front door to say “Hello” and hand out his postcards. Mr. Mertz was a very special person.
Our hearts are broken. Mr. Mertz gave us an escape from daily life to enjoy the spirit of the Holidays with so many people in our community. It won’t be the same. I am sure his reindeer are pulling him around in heaven!
Oh My Gosh this is soooooooooooooo sad!!! We used to go every year and take our friends and family that were visiting and loved the 3D glasses & light up jacket addition! He is /was AMAZIING!! Thank you Mr. Christmas for making dreams and thank you for making us your “family” every year!!! R.I.P. Mr. Christmas
Rip Mr Christmas I always remember my parents taking me by there when I was younger I actually just drove on that street a few days ago and seen his house looked kinda abanded was wondering if he passed away poor guy he will be missed
A statue would be appropriate tribute to a model Concord citizen. Rest In Peace Mr. Christmas.
R I P Mr. Christmas. You brought smiles to many with your beautiful lights, thank you. Heaven is a much brighter place with you there. Prayers to his family
Drove by Mr Christmas house last week. It looked abandoned. I wondered if something had happened. So Im sorry to read that Mr Christmas has passed away. For at least 20 years a trip to his house was a Christmas tradition ggor our family. Christmas will be a little less bright without Mr Christmas.Im sorry that he’s left us. He was an institution in Concord…. RIP.
RIP Mr. Christmas. Thank you for the joy you created and shared for so many of us.
RIP Bruce …. Thank You for the memories!
Loved how he came out to chat with onlookers each year. Thank you, Bruce, for all the smiles you put on people’s faces!
Rest in peace Bruce. You brought so much joy to everyone who viewed your wonderful decorations. I brought my daughter every year and then my grandchildren. You will be missed greatly. Thank you for your kindness and sharing your Christmas spirit with us for so many years. May you be in God’s arms now lighting up heaven with your giving and wonderful spirit! We will miss you!
Wonderful memories of Mr Mertz. He will be missed. The video is worth watching. RIP, Mr. Christmas!
Glad I got to see his display last year. Amazing lights, not likely to forget it anytime soon.
This gentleman contributed greatly to Concord and the surrounding areas. As per the recommendation by post #1 this man deserves a statue or memorial in his honor.
Yes, i agree with #1 we need to have a statue in his memory for bringing so much joy to thousands
My family & I have been going to this house every Christmas for many, many years now. It became tradition in my family to go see his amazing display. It made many wonderful memories for me & we were able to carry on the tradition with my beautiful neices. Mr. Christmas will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.
Will there be a memorial for him?
So sad to read this . I lived on Myrtle drive since 1963 and went by his amazing house every year until the last year he did it. My son grew up loving him and then took his son to meet him. He made everyone feel special. God bless him for all he did…❤️
Rest In Peace Mr. Christmas! I think of the many lives you touched with your beautiful lights. I have never seen such an amazing display display of kindness. Heaven has another angel now!
Over the years, we have visited Bruce’s Christmas extravaganza with family members from SoCal, Seattle, Idaho, Minnesota, Colorado, Northern California, and more. It was the highlight of our light-touring every year!!! Rest in peace, Bruce, and THANK YOU!
We’re really going to miss his Christmas decorations. We went almost every year to see his beautiful decorations. One year we were lucky enough to talk to him and gave donations to help with his electric bill.
RIP
I think they should rename the Concord Christmas tree “The Bruce Mertz” tree! RIP MR. MERTZ💕💕💕
Living next door to Bruce was like living next door to an celebrity,enjoying watching from my porch all the people in holiday spirit was something to look forward to . Not last year but I was able to talk about sports with him he loved the Giants. Would be so cool if they would honor him at a game.
I am really sad to hear of Mr.Christmas Passing it was a wonderful joy to drive by his house to see his wonderful Christmas display REST IN PEACE MR.CHRISTMAS
Comments are closed.