Going all out for Christmas
When the ghosts and jack-o’-lanterns get put away, the tinsel and sparkling lights start to come out of storage.
While many houses decorate for Christmas, some go the extra mile to make their homes festive inside and out.
Brittany McLaughlin, of Peters Township, said it takes her three weeks to fully decorate the exterior and interior of her house.
“Growing up my grandparents did this, my grandma Twila, and my parents as well. And I just thought it was so important for my children to grow up in a winter wonderland,” McLaughlin said.
Inside, all the kitchen cabinets are wrapped in ribbon, and the living room features dozens of ornaments collected over the years. One decoration, featuring Santa Claus standing in front of a house, was made 40 years ago by McLaughlin’s grandmother, Twila Golubosky.
McLaughlin is a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway, and she said she gets inspiration while showing her clients houses during the holiday season.
Also in Peters Township is Jesse Trapuzzano. Outside her home a large Santa decoration counts down the days until Christmas, but that is hardly a representation of the inside, where the Grinch has taken over.
It’s a theme she has stuck with for more than a decade.
“I just like all the colorful things that come along with the Grinch and Whoville, and it’s very whimsical and fun compared to the traditional Christmas decor,” Trapuzzano said.
In the living room stands a 12-foot Grinch-themed Christmas tree. The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who sit at opposite ends of the table in the dining room. Every room in the house features some sort of Grinch decoration.
Trappuzano’s 5-year-old son Palmer is also a Grinch fanatic, and is excited to offer a tour through the Grinch museum.
Which adaptation of the classic Dr. Seuss story do they prefer?
“Jim Carrey,” Trappuzano said.
Benjie Graham, 4, however, prefers the 1966 cartoon narrated by Boris Karloff. So much so that he asked his grandmother, Lisa Songer, last year to turn the outside of her Washington home into a “Grinch House.”
Songer’s home stands out on Beech Street with green and red archways down the sidewalk, and all manner of Grinch-related decorations.
“Just to see his face … I could do that every day,” Songer said.
Why was her grandson so insistent on a Grinch theme?
“Because he’s green, and green is my favorite color,” Benjie said.
On Prospect Avenue in Washington, the home of JimEd and Raquel Cole is likely to be the house that catches your eye.
Their front yard is decked out with lights and characters from classic Christmas cartoons. Raquel buys the decoration, while JimEd puts it all together just after Thanksgiving.
The couple adds decorations each year. The lights along the handrails have been in use for 12 years.
For JimEd, creating the display is an important tradition.
“It reminds me of my family, and the happiest times of my life,” he said.