Holiday lights display a dream come true for Elk Grove Village man
Growing up, Richy Sandberg was in awe of the spectacular holiday lights displays that went up around his neighborhood. Now the Elk Grove Village man has his own jaw-dropping display — and recognition as winner of the Daily Herald's 2018 holiday lights contest.
“It's insane, in a good way,” he said. “I never thought that this would happen.”
Sandberg, who works as the head of circulation services at the Elk Grove Village Public Library, said he and his wife started creating lavish holiday displays when they moved to their house at 391 Walnut Lane in 2017 — and that year they won the Editor's Choice award for the Northwest suburbs in the Daily Herald contest.
But the idea behind it arose during Sandberg's childhood, when his parents would take him to view decorations around his neighborhood.
“There was nothing more magical for me as a kid (than) going out and being in awe, looking at homes,” he said. “And I always said I wanted to do the same thing — just bring the same magic to other people, too. Whatever I felt as a kid seeing houses, I'm hoping other kids and families feel the same way now when they see ours.”
The scene outside his home has become a conversation piece around the neighborhood and turned the house into a destination for drivers passing through town.
While out for a walk with his dogs on Friday, Sandberg returned home to find “lines of cars” checking out the display.
“I couldn't believe it,” he said.
There's much attention to detail in the display, which includes thousands of lights, hundreds of blow-mold decorations and arches of PVC pipe. The Candyland theme shines through with candy canes, bears, Disney characters and toy soldiers.
Sandberg's creation also has a multimedia component — singing choir figures that anyone driving by can hear by tuning the car radio to 106.1-FM.
Making it all happen took an enormous of investment of time and effort.
Friends and family, including Richy's wife, Jessica Zajac Sandberg, his brother, James Sandberg, and several friends, including Rob Fiorito, Mike Logli and Mike Almaguer, gathered the weekend after Halloween to start putting up lights around the house.
Sandberg even took some time off work so he and his team of helpers could lug materials from the attic and meticulously set them up around the yard.
The result was a dream come true, as confirmed by his mother, Robin Sandberg.
“She was laughing, and she (said), 'It looks like you finally got to do that,'” Richy Sandberg said.
The grand prize winner was determined by online voting. Sandberg received 6,642 votes of 26,046 cast. For his efforts, Sandberg will receive $125 in dining cards and a $50 Binny's Beverage Depot gift card.
Four Editor's Choice winners — for DuPage County, the Fox Valley, Lake County and the Northwest suburbs — each will receive a $25 Binny's Beverage Depot gift card.
All voters were entered into a random drawing for a $25 Jewel Osco gift card.