Bob Densic sported a Santa cap and a green-and-red light necklace as he stood along Birch Drive in Rossford, surveying the 105,328 lights aglow in the display that takes him and neighbors six weeks to assemble at their five homes.

He wore a smile that glowed, too, while watching cars drive through the neighborhood.

“Clark Griswold was a rank amateur,” said Mr. Densic, 55, chuckling while shaking his head. “He only had 25,000 lights. And his just twinkled; mine dance to music.”

Vincent Lucarelli

Chief Jones named Perrysburg's director of public safety

Clark Griswold, played by Chevy Chase in the classic 1989 movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, set the standard for guys like Bob Densic and Jason Buschmann, who has a computerized show with 20,000 lights and 106 channels of animation with music at his home at 1935 S. Freedom Dr. Mr. Buschmann coordinates and sets it all up with his son, Zach, a senior active in athletics, band, and student government at Lake High in Millbury.

Father and son share a love of the lights that Mr. Buschmann credits to his father, Kevin Buschmann, of Toledo.

“My favorite part of all this are the lights outlining the whole house because that’s what my dad did,” said Mr. Buschmann, who began putting up lights in 2009 and getting serious in 2013. He said he was inspired after seeing Gary Blair’s light show at 1265 S. Wynn Rd., Oregon.

The Buschmanns and Densics are friends, linked by their over-the-top Christmas light shows that begin at 5:30 p.m., and go off at 10:30 p.m. The Buschmanns keep their lights on until 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Their families are among 21 in the region who promote their displays in a list shared locally on Facebook. Most also run their own social media pages, including Buschmanns Lights and The Ageless Child’s Christmas on Facebook. If somebody needs help or a replacement for a burned-out part, they know who to call.

That group pretty much has northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan covered … in Christmas lights.

Mr. Densic, whose light displays began in 2006, said the name of his Facebook page for the whole extravaganza came courtesy of the lady who caught his attention in a packed vehicle one night 16 years ago.

Michael Burwell

Dream scenario: Perrysburg brothers to coach against each other in Quick Lane Bowl

“The grandma in this five-generation family was smiling and singing along,” he said. “She said, ‘Thank you so much. It makes me feel like a kid again. I’m like an ageless child.’

“We’ve had two wedding proposals and one ceremony in front of the lights. We saw the preacher, bride and groom, and thought, ‘Let’s go out and give them some candy canes.’ We’ve had visitors from as far away as Washington, Arizona, Florida, and Guam — I love that one. They’re visiting families and said this has become part of their Christmas or Thanksgiving.”

Their closest neighbors also are part of the light show project: Randy and Billie Smith, Mark and Amanda Camp, Butch Spangler, and the newest neighbors Judy Bullmore and Pam Swartz. They’re connected by the blinking glow and what Mr. Densic says are “three miles of extension cords.”

He noted: “Everyone on the block puts their hearts into this.”

They will begin taking it down before New Year’s Day, and that takes about three weeks.

“It’s up for five weeks,” said Mr. Densic, an administrator at Mercy Health — St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo who “guess-timates” 7,000 to 8,000 visitors annually drive down their small residential street. They can tune to 97.7 FM to hear Trans-Siberian Orchestra music that complements the 48-minute synchronized light show. Some park to watch the entire presentation, while others slowly cruise through.

Regulars are special.

“We have a little boy named Bo Abbott who comes nearly every day,” Jason Buschmann said. “We see their red car, and know he’s here. One day we went out to talk and [his mother] said he loves the lights and wants to come all the time.

“He had a little Santa cap on and a big smile, and that is the reason why I keep doing this.”

Mr. Densic loves the spiral tree near his driveway with 48 strings of red, white, blue, and green lights that swirl up and down. There’s Santa and the reindeer pulling his sleigh, a cross to symbolize Jesus, penguins, cardinals, and bluebirds with lights blinking in the tall trees. The Smiths across the street have a large nativity scene.

With 95-percent LED lights, Mr. Densic said the monthly electric bill “only goes up $100 to $150 for one month.”

The Buschmanns have a 16-foot mega tree to the right of their front yard and arches in the middle that feature lights flowing through them. There’s a row of 15 4-foot Christmas trees behind a row of 15 snowflakes with blinking lights and other medium-sized Christmas trees. The house’s columns, windows, doors, and bushes are covered with lights, too.

And there’s music — even “The Victors,” the fight song of their favorite football team from Michigan. Zach Buschmann was inspired to add that after the Nov. 26 Wolverines win over the Buckeyes.

Mr. Densic’s an Ohio State fan, but doesn’t let that get in the way of their friendship. He joked that he and wife Tiffany Densic seldom see much of “The Game” because it’s played when they’re either putting up the lights or beginning to greet visitors.

Along with his wife and his mother, Mary Densic, 78, of Millbury, he hands out candy canes (a record 11,000 in 2021 but 6,000 most years) and accepts donations for Samaritan’s Purse, a humanitarian aid organization headed by Franklin Graham, the son of Christian evangelist Billy Graham. The Buschmanns do likewise, collecting for the Lake Flyers Glider Pack Program, which supplies food to local children who need it on weekends and during school holidays. It’s part of Zach Buschmann’s National Honor Society service project.

“It’s a lot of work,” said Jason Buschmann, who works for Precision Strip steel and aluminum in Perrysburg. “It takes about 40 hours to set it all up.”

His wife, Chrissy, manages the social media, and younger children Madyson, 16, and Anthony, 14, all pitch in on the project.

Clark Griswold was a solo light freak in that movie that inspired countless Christmas light freaks.

But these folks are all about being united for the lights.

“The main thing to me is we’re celebrating Christmas — the birth of our savior,” Mr. Densic said. “It’s about bringing families together to recognize that, and feeling like a child again.”

First Published December 22, 2022, 1:00 p.m.