These are the astronomic prices people pay to decorate their homes for Christmas in the US

Clark Griswold showed us how to decorate a house for Christmas like a boss in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. He’s not the first to light up the neighborhood with Christmas spirit, but his house is one of the most memorable. There are entire neighborhoods where homeowners try to out do each other and then there are individual houses in the country that go all out with their Christmas decorations.

How much do people spend on decorating their houses for Christmas?

Lots and lots of money. The annual amounts are crazy, but when homeowners explain how much they’ve spent over the years, thousands can turn into millions.

The Bronx Christmas House tradition started in 1973, so almost 50 years of decorations, electric bills and other costs and investments have raised the Garabedian’s total bill to $4 million. That’s right, or at least that’s what the estimated investment is, “The police department evaluated it at $4m (£3.15m) in 1993. I don’t know what that’s worth now,” says Gary Garabedian, the son of Nelly, who started the tradition half a century ago.

Another house in New York, this one in Dyker Heights, estimated the investment to be around $8,000. Frank Mangano calculated well over $1,000 only in lights. Then there are the Nutcracker soldiers, snowmen, candycanes, reindeer and angels, all of which are illuminated bring that amount to over $7,000. “There’s something magical about the lights. It serves as a distractions,” Mangano told the NYT.

In Springfield, Missouri, Mike Bagwell budgets $500 for his electrical bill in December. He estimates spending over $130,000 on Christmas decorations since he started the tradition. That investment includes 30,000 standard-bulb lights and 240,000 LED lights to light up his property. “When you can build something and have the community come together – when you see the laughter and the joy, it just makes it all worthwhile,” he told the BBC about why he does what he does.

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Last, but not least, in the same BBC report, Melissa Bessler in Tinley Park, Illinois claims her family has spent over $50,000 on their Christmas decorations. They spend approximately $1,500 each year on electricity and repairs and purchase new items each year to replace old ones or to add to the collection.

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