A Fort Lauderdale family has had a Christmas tradition that has them spending weeks untangling thousands upon thousands of twinkle lights every year. Most likely, you’ve seen their work before, and they are shining in this 7Spotlight with Courtney Allen.
It’s one of the most recognizable boats in the Winterfest boat parade.
Mr. Bobb has been lighting up the New River in the ft lauderdale boat parade for the past 40 years!
Peggy Messingschlager: “It doesn’t feel like it. The kids keep me young!”
Eighty-eight-year-old Peggy Messingschlager still gets up on the bow and shakes her pom poms — rain or shine.
Peggy Messingschlager: “My daughter is saying, ‘Come down, Mom, it is raining!’ I am like, ‘No, we have not passed the judge’s stand yet!’”
Mr. Bobb is an award winner and a fan favorite.
It has captivated crowds for decades, and even caught the attention of entertainer Bob Hope — who hopped aboard to take his Christmas picture in 1987 when he was the parade’s grand marshal!
Peggy Messingschlager: “The parade was over. It is like 11 o’clock at night. I am looking up at my husband, and we are circling, and I’m like, ‘Why aren’t we going home?’ He told me, ‘Mrs. Hope would like to have her picture taken on the boat.”
So how did this tradition begin? In 1985, Peggy’s son Mark told her he wanted to be in the boat parade, and like any good mother, she supported his grand idea.
Peggy Messingschlager: “went to the wholesale house, bought 2,000 lights, two days later, Mom, we need more lights. I’m like, you couldn’t have gone through those already. Now, we gave up counting.”
Mr. Bobb was named after Peggy’s husband and Mark’s dad. Forty years later, Mark is still decorating it.
They start in October — untangling the countless cords that make Mr. Bobb light up.
Mark Messingschlager: “It is a nightmare, spaghetti ball we call it.”
And his kids and their friends pitch in, too.
Amanda Messingschlager: “Boys do all the manual labor.”
Rita Messingschlager: “Yeah, boys do all the manual labor.”
Mark Messingschlager: “My son’s best friend right here, Oliver, he is the one who is the engineer. He’s our electrical engineer.”
For them, the boat parade is more exciting than Christmas. We asked Peggy, her granddaughter, and daughter-in-law to pick their holiday highlight.
All three: “This, this, this!”
Peggy’s granddaughter, Amanda, says even more important than the dazzling lights is the family tradition.
Amanda Messingschlager: “It is pretty cool to see my memories when I was 4 [-years-old] to 32 [-years-old] in the same place and always the most fun.”
Amanda: “It is honestly awesome to have a hobby passed down to you, that I am excited to bring my kids into.”
And hopefully, Mr. Bobb’s legacy will carry on for generations to come.
You can see Mr. Bobb and the 99 other boats in this year’s parade in our Winterfest special airing Friday at 7 p.m. on WSVN.
Courtney Allen, 7News.
If you know of a person, place or group that you think we should highlight, email us at 7spotlight@wsvn.com.
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