Clark Griswold beware, Darryl Lambert of Georgetown, Ontario has been declared Canada’s Most Outrageous Holiday Home Decorator after a nation-wide search by website OutrageousLights.ca.
Lambert’s home, located at 14 Johnson Crescent in Georgetown, 20 minutes west of Toronto, features more than 45,000 lights intricately choreographed to festive music with a techno beat. The display uses nearly 1,000 meters of extension cord, 230 dimmer channels, 26,000 LEDs and more than 10,000 mini lights. Visitors are able to tune their car radios to an FM radio signal to hear the synchronized music.
Lambert, who has been adding to his display for nearly 15 years, credits his family, friends and especially his neighbours for the success of his annual light show. In 2009, a money donation box erected in front of the house raised nearly $8,000 for the Georgetown hospital foundation.
“If we didn’t have understanding and supportive neighbours, our annual light display wouldn’t be possible,” said Lambert. “They see how happy it makes people and they know it’s become an important fundraiser for our community hospital.”
During the two-week search, Canadians from coast to coast nominated homes they felt worthy of recognition. Lambert’s home was chosen from a list of eight finalists. Runners-up include Maisie’s Christmas House in Edmonton, Alberta and the home of Cynthia and Ron Demers in Milton, Ontario which boasts 31 elaborately decorated Christmas trees.
Lambert’s award includes $1,000 worth of Christmas movie memorabilia donated by RetroFestive.ca, including a life-size leg lamp inspired by the movie A Christmas Story and a set of Clark Griswold moose mugs, like the ones seen in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
“We want to celebrate people across Canada who decorate extraordinarily for the love of Christmas and for the enjoyment of their family, friends and neighbours – people who put fun into the season,” says Tyler Schwartz, owner of RetroFestive.ca. “Outrageous holiday home decorators deserve recognition and appreciation for delighting millions of Canadians from coast to coast.”