The period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day – that time of year, say the cynics, bloated with leftover November turkey, relentlessly crass holiday sales, and the desperation that comes with too many gift lists, not enough time, and way, way too little peace on Earth.
But if the urge to ‘Bah! Humbug!’ yourself into even deeper seasonal dumps starts to become too strong, you can always do what Kathleen Sullivan has been doing this year; you can head for The Christmas House.
For the uninitiated, and Sullivan was, thanks to her recent move to Wilmette, The Christmas House at 1200 Cleveland St. is Steve Maris’ electronic paean to the holiday he has loved since he was a child.
Since at least 2011, and probably longer, Maris has transformed the house he shares with wife Meg and sons Johnny, 8, and Joey, 5, into a brilliant explosion of light that ripples, flashes, glows, and glitters to yuletide music that he’s programmed to pulse in synchronous array with the lights.
Last Friday Sullivan stood across the street with her children, Max, Ty and Ava Bennett, to marvel at Maris’ creation.
More Top Picks Best Massage Chairs
“When I told a friend where we were moving, she said ‘Oh, you’ll be near the Christmas House,'” Sullivan told a listener, her eyes barely moving from the display. “This is our fourth time here, and it’s kind of become our before-dinner ritual.”
“This is totally new, totally interesting, son Max agreed. “It’s spectacular light and color.”
Sullivan and her crew were enjoying the lights around 5:30 p.m. Dec. 5, about an hour after Maris threw the switch for the night. Already, a steady stream of cars had brought Christmas tourists to view the show.
For the most part, drivers obeyed the signs the Maris’ have put up asking them not to park in neighbors’ driveways, and to switch off their lights. Meg Maris was on hand to politely nudge those who forgot to do so. Traffic would continue to be steady until the show ended.
(It runs 4:30-9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and until 10 p.m. on the weekends, until New Year’s.)
The Marises, who own a construction business, have turned on the lights every year because they both love Christmas. Steve’s devotion to the holiday is so huge that taught himself the arduous job of programming the musical show (it can take hours to program four minutes of new music), and built most of the elaborate frameworks for the lights.
“Every year, he says it’s too much trouble and he’s never going to do it again,” Meg said Dec. 5, over a cup of hot cocoa.
“Every year, I do it again,” he said.
Johnny and Joey have grown up with the show; in fact Johnny is burgeoning into a clear-eyed critic, who is definite about his likes and dislikes (this year, he turned thumbs down on the “Christmas Cancan” music that was his mother’s choice for the new display.)
“They didn’t seem like they all that interested, so to gauge their interest, I told them this was the last year we were having the show,” Steve deadpanned. “After they recovered from their minor heart attacks, I decided they really liked it.”
The show’s power as a community draw also allows Meg to hold one night each year when visitors can see Santa, enjoy hot chocolate and cookies, and have the chance to donate to Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. This year’s night with Santa is 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12.
“The charity isn’t the reason for the show, but it’s a great way to add to the show,” Meg said. “At this time of year, if we can help sick children, families going through hell with worry, then why not do it?”
While Meg and Steve share the same uninhibited love for Christmas, and for the show that Steve has created, they do part ways on one issue; the number of lights it boasts.
Meg estimated that the 2014 Christmas show comprised 90,000 lights, a truly staggering number compared with the 50,000 lights in the 2012 show and the relatively paltry 30,000 that blinked on and off in 2011.
Last week, Steve disputed that. Sort of.
“No … more like 60,0000,” he said. Then he paused. “Well … maybe more than 60,000.” Another pause. “Actually, I think I’ve stopped counting.”
Kathleen Sullivan and her children didn’t need to know the number of lights as they drank in the dancing candy canes, exploding stars and music (although Max was suitably awed when he heard it.)
Would they be visiting again? Of course, Sullivan said, taking a flier from Meg for the Dec. 12 Santa party.
“This is wonderful. We will definitely be back,” she smiled.
That’s what the Maris family wants to hear.
To donate to the Lurie Children’s Hospital, bring checks made out to the hospital to The Christmas House. They can also be mailed in care of Meg Maris, 1200 Cleveland St., Wilmette, Ill., 60091.
More Top Picks Best Study Planners For College Students