Homes for the Holidays
By AMANDA TONOLI
CANFIELD
The glowing seven- house stretch of Fairview Avenue can bring Christmas spirit even to this unconventionally warm holiday.
Though it doesn’t feel like Christmas, Mike McAndrew didn’t let a December heat wave stop him from spreading the cheer.
“I create moments, and those moments turn into somebody else’s treasured memories,” McAndrew said.
Now in his 11th year, McAndrew, of 333 Fairview, said he’s developed an urge to build his display bigger and bigger year after year.
He picks what he likes for the display – some trendy and others of his own design – ultimately using more than 10,000 lights.
McAndrew begins setting up his display, which involves six of his neighbors’ properties, in September. The lengthy process provides a Halloween show with a quick Christmas turnaround that is always finished by Thanksgiving night.
The display is dispersed among seven houses to combat traffic.
“No matter where you park on the road, there is something to see,” McAndrew said.
Because traffic on the street is an issue, no-parking signs line the street to ease the pressure of traffic – and his neighbors’ anxieties.
The neighbors who are part of the display just had to donate their yards to the cause. McAndrew pays for all the supplies and power.
“I don’t have the heart to charge for the Christmas spirit. To me, that is the most grinchy thing you can do,” McAndrew said.
He also said he does not take donations. He simply enjoys this project.
He suggested the best time to come during the show was right before it closes, 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on weekends. McAndrew said he sees the most traffic during the week before Christmas and the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Of the estimated 1,200 to 1,500 people who come to see the show per night, McAndrew said he sees a lot of travelers from throughout the region.
The Myhal family, from Columbus, drove past the display, eagerly awaiting certain songs to play for the children.
Tabitha Myhal, 3, said she was waiting for the “Silver Bells” song, her favorite.
They were visiting family in Canfield, Youngstown and Poland.
“They [Christmas lights] are much better here than in Columbus,” said David Myhal. “These are great.”
The cost to maintain the show is very minimal compared with the cost to get it started.
“It’s only about $90 for 90 days, a little over a dollar a day,” McAndrew said. “It’s a little more expensive to buy the LEDs [lights]. If you buy them during season, it’s probably about $30 a string of lights, and offseason, like February, as low as $8 or $9 a string. That’s why you buy in February and kind of plan ahead.”
Although McAndrew said his project, overall, is a costly venture, he said he does it for the people.
“It touches the human spirit like nothing can,” he said.
The light show will come to a close Jan. 2.
And then McAndrew will begin to plan for next Christmas.