City home a beacon for Christmas spirit
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/12/2010 (5582 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
No, it’s not the house from "National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation." But Allan Van Santen appreciates the comparison.
"We’ve been nicknamed the Chevy Chase house. But I like it and I’m OK with the comparison."
The Van Santen family’s home, located at 44 Almond Cres., has been a regular stop for Christmas light hunters for eight years. But this year, the house is covered in more lights than ever — almost 10,000.
All of them are LED lights, with the exception of 40 twinkle lights. Van Santen spends a few entire weekends stapling each string to the siding on his house. But to him, it’s worth it.
"I like the Christmas spirit. My father was big on Christmas lights. I got the bug from him. I remember him being on the roof every winter. I just figure if he can do it, I can do it," Van Santen says.
The lights also require regular maintenance. Because the LED lights don’t emit heat, he regularly has to clear the snow off of them with a leaf blower.
But his diligence has prompted admiration from neighbours and community members.
"I’m always interested to see what kind of people come by. We get people on scavenger hunts, carollers and many people have family pictures taken in front of it. One year, a couple had some wedding pictures taken here," Van Santen says.
But his biggest fans are his three young children, Hannah, 9, Connor, 5, and Logan, 2.
"They’re really, really nice and bright. I don’t want him to take them down," Hannah said.
If you haven’t had a chance to drive by, the Van Santen light show will continue until after Ukrainian Christmas.