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Holiday Lights Contest: Editor's Choice for the Fox Valley

Dean Stahl has won the 2021 Holiday Lights Editor's Choice award for the Fox Valley. His home is at 738 Tartans Drive, West Dundee.

See all of the winners at www.dailyherald.com.

Q: How long have you been decorating your house like this?

A: For 23 years here in West Dundee and about 10 years when we lived in Elgin. Every year it seems to get bigger.

Q: What inspired you to go all out with your decorations?

A: I always loved Christmas lights as a kid and just got carried away when I got older.

Q: How many hours does it take to put up the display?

A: About three or four days.

Q: How many strings of lights are involved?

A: I'm not sure, but I would guess around 10,000 individual lights,

Q: How much does your electric bill spike in December?

A: I've been telling my wife it only cost about a dollar a day to run them for the past 20-plus years, so I'm sticking with that.

Q: What do your neighbors think of your display?

A: Everyone seems to love them!

  A large blowup Santa waves to passersby from the second story of Dean Stahl's house, and dozens of traditional plastic and new blowup characters fill the yard. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Dean Stahl of West Dundee says he always loved Christmas lights as a kid and "just got carried away" at his house on Tartans Drive. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Dozens of traditional plastic and new blowup characters fill the Stahls' yard and porch. There are several unusual characters like an alien and the Easter Bunny. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Dean Stahl's yard on Tartans Drive in West Dundee includes this menorah. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
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