Parlin family’s home a winter wonderland
Passers-by regularly stop out front due to the Christmas display
BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer

SCOTT PILLING staff The Aperawic family, Karen (l-r), twins Brianna and Justin, Robert and Cristian, stand in front of their home on Cori Street in Parlin Tuesday night.

When the Aperawic family was too busy last year to put up its usual Christmas display, most people assumed they had moved.

In prior years, the light display consistently drew visitors to their home at 27 Cori St., but an addition being built on the house and the birth of twins kept the lawn a bit darker last December.

This year, as the people of Parlin are well aware by now, the Aperawics’ show has made a big comeback, thanks to the work of Robert Aperawic and his helpers, who began working on the display in late October.

The home is covered with about 12,000 Christmas lights from the roof to the bushes. More than 6,000 icicles adorn the house, behind a front lawn that sports a Nativity scene, Santa Claus, acrylic soldiers and other symbols of the holiday.

The Sayreville recreation department has named the Aperawic residence one of 13 winners of the borough’s holiday house decorating contest. The family boasts that it has been among the contest’s winners every year they’ve entered it.

The Aperawics have lived at their Parlin residence for the past five years. For four of those years, they have had a Christmas lights display that has been described by visitors as nothing short of spectacular.

“We have had numerous people ringing our bell, complimenting us on our display,” said Robert’s wife, Karen. “[Robert] is a hard-working father of three young children and he knows how much it means for his family to enjoy the holidays.”

An electrician by trade, Robert has a separate panel for 12 circuits and a timer relay that ensures the lights all go on and off at the same time.

Karen and Robert’s 14-month-old twins, Justin and Brianna, who were a big part of the reason the family could not put up the usual display last year, are yet unable to help with the lights, but their oldest son, Cristian, 4, helps his father with the decorations.

Also, a 13-year-old neighbor, Steven Comerford, contributed a significant amount of time to the family’s display, Robert noted. Steven’s aunt, Mary Beth Comerford, lives next door to her nephew and across the street from the Aperawic residence.

She joked that Robert should also decorate her house so he can see the fruits of his labor as well as she does.

“I have the best view in town,” Mary Beth said. “It is amazing. Nothing tops this. Robert works hard; he is out there until 10 p.m. I say prayers for him so that he does not fall off the roof.”

The Aperawic family is now keeping a Toys for Tots box in front of their home so visitors can make donations for needy children. Since the police department dropped the box off on Saturday, visitors have already filled it with toys.

“I wanted to do something for the kids,” Robert said, adding that next year he hopes to have the box out sooner so he can collect even more donations.

The Aperawic property is a regular stopping point for passers-by and anyone else out looking for Christmas displays. On the weekend nights in particular, many people stop, take a look and sometimes take pictures.

“We have seen many children come by our home and get out so that their parents can take photos of them in front of our home,” Karen said. “You see the happiness in their smiles.”