GREENSBORO, N.C. — Anyone who's lived in Greensboro for a while knows about Sunset Hills Christmas balls. They're a holiday staple.
WFMY News 2’s Manning Franks shows how one big piece of the tradition is back.
A couple of years ago, we did a story about a Christmas ball in Sunset Hills, but not just any ball. It's the BIGGEST Christmas ball you have ever seen! It was lost for some time, but through the magic of neighbors, it found its way back home.
If you drove down Elam Street during pre-pandemic, you’d be treated to an unforgettable sight.
"It's a huge lighted Christmas ball!"
At six feet wide, this ball rocked Sunset Hills for years.
"Came around probably 10 years ago through Cross Company. They put it together, their engineers worked on it."
When the ball's owners, Roger and Kirsty Haight, moved, it became but a distant memory and a Christmas wish to the people of Sunset Hills.
But thanks to one message, resident John Kelly was about to blow the case of the missing ball wide open.
"Nick and Running of the Balls was advertising for registration, and my friend Crazy Kathy, she was dancing in the front. And in the back was the ball, and I was like, 'Damn, I wonder where that thing is.'"
Thankfully, former resident of Sunset Hills and CEO of Cross, John King, knew exactly where it was.
"So he goes to the Cross website, reaches out, and says, 'Hey, this is nothing to do with engineering, you know, nothing to do with industrial measurement or industrial products, but I've got a question about this ball,' and we're like, 'Oh my gosh, that would be awesome.'"
Turns out, the ball was still in Greensboro, tucked away at Cross headquarters.
"I got a response in 20 minutes, and it was an email back saying, 'Yeah, we still got that thing on a shelf in the warehouse.'"
Now, starting this year, like an ending to a sentimental Christmas movie, this giant series of lights has made its way back home before the holidays, and this time, it's here to stay.
"It feels amazing to have that be here and know that we had, you know, that all of us—literally all the employee-owners at Cross—have a little bit to do with that."
Thanks to two Johns—and one Christmas wish.