Holiday Lights Contest Editor's Choice: DuPage County
The Daily Herald Holiday Lights Editor's Choice winner for DuPage County is Ginger Giralamo, 218 N. Pioneer Drive, Addison.
Editor's Choice winners each will receive a $50 Ala Carte Entertainment gift card.
The Daily Herald asked Giralamo about her display.
Q: How long have you been decorating your house like this?
A: We have always decorated for Christmas, but within the last four years we have added more every year.
Q: What inspired you to take it to this level?
A: In the last few years we have seen how expensive the mall pictures have become and not letting people take pictures with their phones or cameras and forcing them to buy their high-priced photos. We thought that this is not right and every child should have memories with Santa, so we started offering this to families. So we upped our game and turned our display into a winter wonderland to make a great photo scene to take pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Q: Briefly explain the process of putting up the display.
A: We start the weekend before Thanksgiving. We put in a good 10-hour day on Sunday and work on it every day for a couple hours until we are done, which probably totals about 24 hours. Santa's chair is the main focal point and the first to be put up, and then the rest goes up to complete the scene. The last thing that is done before showtime is the lighting and figuring out all the plugs and outlets to light it up without blowing a fuse.
Q: How many total lights and/or displays do you have?
A: Never really counted on how many lights, but if I had to guess I would say about 8,000 to 10,000. We have at least 100 items in the display.
Q: How much does your electric bill spike in December?
A: Not 100% (sure about) the electric bill, but at least $100 more during that month. But my husband says the meter is spinning like a CD.
Q: What do your neighbors think of your display?
A: I have to say the neighbors are the biggest fans. They stop multiple times with their family and friends to take pictures with Santa and to enjoy the lights. We have a Facebook page that people can follow us on to get all the times when the lights turn on and off, and when we get that special visit from Santa. The Facebook page is called "Holiday Cheer on Pioneer."