For 20 years, the Croge family has dazzled with an elaborate home Christmas light display, complete with visits from Santa Claus
Linda Yoder and her family have been coming to the Christmas light display at 821 Mercer St. for the past 20 years. It’s convenient because it’s a few blocks away from their house, but the convenience factor isn’t why they come year after year.
“I love that Santa is here,” she said.
Santa is the main attraction at his father’s house, said Jason Croge, who helps his father, David, put together the dazzling light and decoration display. He has taken the reins and decorates the house since his father has gotten older, and it’s their 20th year with their holiday display that attracts thousands of people each year.
“There’s a lot of houses around that have light displays, but you just don’t get Santa Claus,” Croge said. “There’s not many Santas that sit outside for two weeks straight for 13 days. It’s the same thing with kids — they are scared of the Santa in the malls and parents say, ‘I can’t believe my kid just sat on his lap.’”
Santa starts sitting on the front porch on Dec. 10 and is there every evening starting at 6 p.m. until Dec. 23. There is almost always a line.
“Once Dec. 10 hits, the number of people quadruples,” he said.
This light display started with David’s neighbor, and each year it got bigger and bigger. Now the houses combine for the intricate light display.
“Frank next door had a pretty decent display,” he said. “When I started doing it, it became a friendly competition.”
Both homes have large, connecting driveways, which makes it very easy for visitors to walk around the displays. The decorations are a mix of traditional and non-traditional, including a mini carousel on Croge’s front lawn, a nativity scene on his side yard and an archway with toy soldiers leading to a pond surrounded by lit-up dolphins wearing Santa hats.
Croge calls the decorating a full-time job. He starts decorating right after Halloween, and Black Friday is when the lights are ready to be turned on. The electric bill usually comes to $1,500 to $2,000.
“If I was to stop, I’d have to stop if he (his father, David) was dead because he would never let me stop,” he said. “I asked him one year why don’t we just do a little bit, and he said absolutely not. We’re going all the way again. It’s exhausting, but it’s the holidays. We do it for the holidays.”
Croge also does it for the kids and the looks on their faces when they see all the lights and Santa.
“It gives you a little smile because the amount of people that come here,” he said. “It’s crazy.”
Dana Gravinese just moved to Cherry Hill and went to the light display for the first time with her daughter, Kendall.
“I love it and think it’s fantastic,” Gravinese said. “It’s great for kids her age. She can walk around in a big space, and she can pick what she wants to see because everything is at her level.”
Craig Stratton and his family have been coming to this display for almost 10 years.
“I just love the amount of work that goes into it,” he said. “I’m blown away by the effort; it’s amazing to see. All the different decorations are outstanding.”
It’s also been a 10-year tradition for the Harvey family.
“It’s definitely a tradition,” Pat Harvey said. “The fact that they open up their home and allow people in the community to walk around, it’s something that’s really unique.”
–By Julie Shannon, The Cherry Hill Sun
