Home visits from the electrician aren't exactly a good thing, but Blaise Johnson sees it as a step in the right direction.
"I've only needed the electrician out once this year to replace some outlets in the garage. I'm not quite to Clark Griswold status yet, but I'm getting there," he says, referring to the hapless dad who in National Lampoon's movie "Christmas Vacation" overdoes the lights for outdoor Christmas decor.
His neighbors and other Forum readers might disagree.
Online voters picked Johnson as the winner of this year's Clark Griswold Award for best holiday lights display at www.in-forum.com .
For 25 years Johnson has been lighting up his home, including 12 years in the current location at 1605 14th St. E., West Fargo.
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"He tries to top himself every year, as long as my mom lets him put up lights," says daughter Angie Saxlund, who lives a block away.
Lately, he's scaled back in color, downsizing from multicolored lights to just red and green. He estimates the yard is filled with 2,500 small bulbs and 500 bigger ones, leaving them on for about three hours a night.
With energy costs up this year, Johnson considered skipping the outdoor decorations until trick-or-treaters at Halloween told him how much they look forward to his display.
Neighbors particularly enjoy the illuminated Santa Claus and the lighted outline of a Christmas tree on Johnson's roof. The tree in particular glows when covered with snow.
"One of my buddies says he likes that at Christmas because it points him the right way home when he's leaving the bowling alley at night," Johnson says.
Readers can reach Forum Features Editor
John Lamb at (701) 241-5533
