In the spirit of the season, many decorate the outside of their with lights and animated figures but one house stands out from the rest.
I’m talking about “That House in Milford”, a house with 30,000 lights and growing each and every year owned by Chris and Ann Donnells of Milford.
While Chris’ original goal was 36,000 lights, 30,000 lights it nothing to sneeze at.
Chris agrees his house is reminiscent of the Griswold’s homestead shown on National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation movie and the tradition that started six years ago keeps growing.
This year’s additions include tripling the lights on the large arches in the couple’s driveway, the addition of big stars near those arches, lights on the trees near the arches, lights on the siding to replace the curtain lights, an additional 2,500 light mega tree, and windows decorated with wreaths and shutter wrap.
Other items in the display include several 2,500 light mega trees, small animated light-up deer, small light-up presents, a sign that says “Joy” with a silhouette of a small manger scene in the O, a large Merry Christmas sign with Santa and his reindeer, a small light-up Santa Claus carrying presents, small light-up manger scene pieces, a holographic Charlie Brown, Linus, Snoopy and Woodstock in front of a decorated Christmas tree, a holographic Snoopy sitting on his dog house with the Christmas lights and “Merry Christmas” strung across, candy canes, and much more.
Chris puts up most of the decorations and it obviously is quite time consuming.
Just to put up the icicle lights and lights to each row of siding took him four hours.
This year, the icicle lights are blue rather than white to reduce the appearance of the house appearing that it’s on fire.
This past year, Chris said he started planning the decorations and their placements in March and decorations started being put in place in late October.
Licensed electrician Ray from McGuire Electric, LLC in West Haven, a company that does serves for residential and commercial, does the electric work for the couple to ensure there are enough dedicated circuits to light the entire display.
For those who have the Christmas spirit, patience, and money for electricity, specific instructions on the couple’s Web site are given on assembling arches over a driveway, two-foot trees, and large 10-foot trees.
The display is so large; the couple advertises the hours that it will be turned on so drivers can enjoy the display.
The display started this year on Friday, Nov. 23 and runs daily until Jan. 1, 2008.
Display hours are Sundays through Thursdays 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The display is located at 75 Meadows End Road in Milford near Interstate 95, exit 35 and very close to U.S. Route 1.
In 2006, Chris said that he had a total of 18,305 lights with 3,500 lights on the roof, 2,400 icicle lights, 1,035 lights on the arches, 900 lights on the fence, 2,500 lights on the 10-foot tree, 2,700 lights for the little 2-foot trees, 1,350 curtain lights, 300 lights on the lollipop, 300 lights for the deer, 450 lights for the candy canes, 450 lights for the net lights, 300 lights on the Merry Christmas sign, 1,220 lights for the extra deer, 18 inch trees, 4 foot trees, and lights on the driveway tree, 300 lights on the soldier, 600 lights on the Japanese Maple tree, and approximately 1,000 zip ties and 750 shingle ties.
That year, the couple was especially proud of its Nativity Scene by Empire, arches with blue lights that span their 26 foot driveway, white star on the outside of the chimney, an animated soldier, new 10 foot light-up trees, 8-foot inflatable carousel with Santa Claus and a snowman riding reindeer which plays Christmas music, and small white Christmas trees that stood up in the front yard.
Chris reported that he spent 8.5 hours on the roof putting up 3,000 lights that year.
In 2005, the couple added a large Frosty the Snowman standing next to a Christmas tree to its 5,000 light display with mostly white lights and candy canes and approximately 1,500 lights on the roof and a 9-foot Merry Christmas sign.
Looking at the couple’s Web site between 2007 and 2005, you can see a lot of progress was made over the two-year period.
The display has received much attention from various media sources including Sara Welch from WTNH Channel 8 in New Haven in 2007, WICC 600 AM in Bridgeport in 2007, the Milford Weekly Newspaper in 2007, and 99.1FM WPLR in Milford in 2006.
The couple is encouraging passersby to donate to the Connecticut Food Bank and is hoping this year that $2,000 is donated by those visiting their Web site.
At the time this article was written, $1,730.51 was donated so it is quite likely they will exceed their goal this year.
Santa Fuel of Bridgeport will generously donate 10% of donations raised up to $200 for the Connecticut Food Bank.
The food bank has setup a “Virtual Drive” allowing people to purchase food for the food bank or donate cash through a link on their Web site with all donations being tax-deductible.
Those who would like to donate can purchase several types of food for the food bank on the Web site including green beans, fruit cocktail, tuna, peanut butter, beef stew, macaroni and cheese, Chicken Noodle soup, and 100% juice boxes.
The Connecticut Food Bank is a profit not-for-profit organization provides food to 650 food-assistance programs such as soup kitchens, shelters, food pantries, and adult and child day care facilities in six of Connecticut’s eight counties including Fairfield, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London, and Windham.
Representatives from the Connecticut Food Bank remark this is the most original and exciting way of encouraging people to donate to the food bank and are thankful for the couple’s support.
In his Web site blogs, Chris explains that he is glad that stores like Target and Wal-Mart have shifted away from saying “happy holidays” or having “holiday shops” and now say “Merry Christmas” and have “Christmas shops” in a time of political correctness.
In case you wondered, Chris purchases much his Christmas lights and decorations from Ebay and QVC during Christmas in July shows.
The couple welcomes people to e-mail them at thathouseinmilford@gmail.com.
