advertisement

Holiday lights flashback: 2011 winner

All sorts of people know the house at 106 Monroe St. in Elgin, the winner of the 2011 Daily Herald Holiday Lights contest. When homeowner Mike Arnold visits the doctor’s office, nurses look at his file and ask if his house is the one with the lights. Some college students on their way through town once sent a Christmas card telling the Arnolds how they had seen the house with the lights and just had to write to them. Bus tours have stopped stop by to take photos and meet the designer, and cars line the street every evening between Thanksgiving and early January to see the army of Nutcracker figurines; handmade ornaments on the tree that his wife, Pam, makes to commemorate each year; and the giant candles that border the lawn. “I don’t do it for the recognition. It’s the fact that people really enjoy it,” Arnold said. “When it stops being fun that’s when I will stop putting in the time, money and effort it takes.”

To enter this year’s holiday lighs contest, submit a photo of your house by Dec. 9. Come back and vote on the winner between Dec. 10 and 16. The winner and a voter drawn at random will win snowblowers. For details, to enter and to vote, go to dailyherald.com/contest/holidaylights. Contest sponsored by Wintrust Financial Corp.

Popular Elgin home wins 2011 Holiday Lights contest

Holiday lights flashback: 2010 winner

Daily Herald holiday lights contest

The winner of our holiday lights contest will be announced XXX in xxx Daily Herald.

The contest is sponsored by Wintrust Financial Corporation.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.