With the holiday season approaching, people put up their Christmas lights, and some of the best ones can be the highlight of a person’s holiday season. Milford citizen John Krusinski carefully curates a map of the best houses for families to enjoy.
This tradition started in 2017 after Krusinski was driving around Milford looking at Christmas lights, when he decided to make a list of the homes he thought had the best decorations, so he could ensure a visit the next year. Originally, he shared the list with his friends and family, but eventually, he posted it on a Christmas-themed Facebook page, which helped his map become popular.
“But if you really take the time and effort to wrap trees, outline your house, create a story with blow molds or DIY wooden figures, add color in a organized way that it does just look like an elf threw up all over your house and create a display that makes me go WOW, and remember my childhood, driving around with my parents to see lights, then you deserve to be in the list.” States Krusinski.
In addition to creating a Christmas lights map, Krusinki also raises money for numerous charities. This includes Toys for Tots, Make a Wish, as well as the families of Bristol officers, and many other families in need.
Krusinki states, “I enjoy donating to charity because I know there are others out there who could always use a smile or something to look forward to.”
Sophomore Alessa Sturges and her family are one of the many families that go on a Christmas light drive every year.
Sturges states, “It brings us together as a family because everyone being busy separates us sometimes, so this brings wholesomeness to our family.”
Many families, just like Sturges, use the list posted by Krusinki to create family memories that will last a lifetime. While other families, like Sophomore Mya Fischetti, decorate their house to be able to spread Christmas spirit and maybe even get a chance to be featured on Krusinski’s list.
Fischetti states, “ We decorate our house for the holidays with a Christmas tree, garland, and a Christmas village, and outside we add lights around our trees, and my dad made wooden stars we wrap with lights for our front yard, and we have a manger.”
Decorations like these are some of the things that houses mentioned on Krusinski’s list have, and more. Families put in an immense amount of work to decorate their houses and bring Christmas spirit to spectators. And though it’s a lot of hard work, decorating can also bring as many memories to families as watching the lights does.
“Not everyone understands the true magic & joy that Christmas brings to us,” Krusinski states.
Family traditions are so important this time of year, and with Krusinski’s list, it provides families with long-lasting memories, whether they are spectating or decorating.
