Youngstown Christmas Lights adds animated window display

By Kalea Hall

khall@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Chuck Dressel and Jenn Rogers twinkle like the animated characters in their display window at their house at 427 N. Hazelwood Ave.

Their Christmas spirit is as visible on them as it is on their house because they have accomplished their goal this year to recreate the old-school Christmas shopping window for their “Youngstown Christmas Lights” show.

“I love it,” Rogers said. “It is my favorite [part of the display] because it reminds me of being a kid.”

They have been collecting the animated characters from the original carolers, angels and Santa to Snoopy and Mickey Mouse for years. Altogether they have about 45 of them, but Dressel could fit only 30 into the closed-in porch Dressel finished this year for their dancing lights and music show.

"It’s been a mad dash to put it up,” Dressel said.

But they want people to know they have done something new and different with their display, and their efforts this year have paid off.

Some people park in the driveway to see the animated display that glows at night.

There were many difficulties to put the window display together including the cost, time and energy to make the display mostly perfect. Dressel had to be sure to build each tier with the shorter figures on the bottom and taller ones on top. They wanted to create snow falling, but that will have to wait until another year.

Many of the figurines are vintage, so if they break it is difficult to find a replacement piece.

“I wanted it to be an old storefront window,” Dressel said. “I always had that idea.”

In addition to their window display, there is some more movement in the show this year. They may be relieved they have completed the window display, but they already are planning what to change next year.

Dressel and Rogers hope to be able to switch to sealed-socket technology to prevent lights from getting waterlogged and rotting out. They heard about the technology from Mike McAndrew, operator of Canfield Christmas Lights at 333 Fairview Ave.

McAndrew’s new features in his six-house display include four 6-foot-tall singing trees and more computer-controlled lights.

“We have had nonstop traffic from Thanksgiving night and on,” McAndrew said. “It is awesome.”