Crisafi family brings the holiday cheer as winner of house decoration contest 

by Emily Canning-Dean

Ever since she was a kid, Julia Crisafi has loved decorating for Christmas. Now as a wife and mom of five boys, she enjoys putting her creative energy to good use during the holidays as she hand-painted gingerbread men and made festive lollipops to include in the family’s exterior Christmas display. 

“It’s nice to feel like I’ve accomplished something,” she said. “As a stay-at-home mom, this gives me the opportunity to do something creative.” 

The Crisafi home, located at 50 Salem Court, embodies a Christmas wonderland complete with candy canes, gingerbread men, Santa and his sleigh and a host of other decorations, inflatables and lights and has been named the winner of the second annual Hinckley Holiday House Decoration Contest. 

“I was definitely excited,” Crisafi said. “We received a call a while ago to find out we had won.” 

Children at Hinckley Elementary School looked at pictures of the houses entered into the contest and chose a winner, which was announced at a special meeting Dec. 10 at Hinckley Elementary School. 

Crisafi said she has made a lot of the decorations over the years and will often shop at after-Christmas sales to pick up new items for the family’s display. Her husband, John, strings up the lights on the house while Crisafi organizes the decorations in the front yard. 

“It usually takes us two or three days to get everything set up,” she said. “My mom will come over during that time to watch the kids while we get everything set up.” 

Crisafi said she makes sure her boys are part of the process. 

“I want to make sure they feel like they are involved and part of the decorating,” she said. “I give them the smaller candy canes that aren’t wired and let them put them in the yard anywhere they want. All of our decorations are kept in the attic and my 9-year-old  is old enough now that he can help me carry some of the lighter boxes.” 

Crisafi said she will continue to go all out with holiday decorating as long as it is something her five boys, John, Roman, Sterling, Vale and Angelo, enjoy being a part of. 

“I think they really enjoy it right now,” she said. “This year we have maybe only two thirds of our decorations out on display and one of my sons has already asked me if we are going to put out more.” 

Crisafi added that it is fun to see cars slow down to take a look at their display. 

“We have had some neighbors slow down and call out to us when we have been outside working on the display letting us know how much they like it,” she said. “It makes me glad to know people are enjoying it.” 

Crisafi said she hopes in the future that Hinckley will provide a listing of all the houses entered into the decorating contest. “It would be nice to drive around and see all of them,” she said.