Five homes brightened the holidays in O.B. Decorating contest included winners from 'Themed' to 'Griswold' BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer The "Clark Griswold House" prize went to the Mahoney family, on Valley Vale Drive. OLD BRIDGE - During the hustle and bustle of preparing for the holidays, some township residents took the time to bring light to the lives of others ... lots of it. The first annual Holiday House Decorating Contest drew over 40 entrants, and judges had a hard time narrowing them down to the five most festive. "The people really put a lot into it, and some of them were amazing," Township Councilman Kevin Calogera said. "I saw every one of them. We were on a bus for five and a half hours." Calogera, who came up with the idea for the contest, approached the town's Cultural Arts Committee to make it a reality. "I just thought it was something that would be really nice to do, and it took them two minutes to say, 'OK, let's do it,' " Calogera said. "They do a lot of great things throughout the year." The committee members and Calogera rode around town on the evening of Dec. 12, armed with scoring sheets as they judged each house on the roster to award prizes for an overall winner and in four different categories. The competition was fierce, and it was a close race. "At some point in the night, things started getting nuts," committee member Lisa Cooney said. "We started getting down to half-points and quarter-points, and it's a good thing we did." Aside from winning $200 American Express and Visa gift certificates donated for the contest, winners were also honored at Monday night's Township Council meeting. Thomas and Chris Appruzzi, of Central Avenue, won for "Best Overall." The couple covered their sprawling property with a wide array of lights and decorations, and welcomed visitors to stroll the grounds to view them, according to Cooney. "I think you blew a transformer twice out there," Calogera joked with the Appruzzis. The Appruzzis' efforts proved worth the electrical woes, as they gave the proceeds from a box placed on the property for visitors' donations, as well as their prize money, to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Their donation totaled nearly $1,500. Though the Appruzzis were generous with their prize money, they did receive an additional keepsake with which to adorn their home. Straight from the movie "A Christmas Story," a lamp fashioned like a woman's fishnet-clad leg will not only serve as a reminder of their win, but also help to add some kitsch to the Appruzzi house. Valley Vale Drive proved particularly festive: it was home to three of the winners. Norman and Lisa Crow of Valley Vale Drive took home the prize for "Traditional/ Best Use of Time-Honored Traditions and Customs." Eleanor and Andrew Giannettino, who, Calogera said, handmade all of their decor, won for "Creativity." Joseph Mahoney, also of Valley Vale Drive, earned victory in the contest's most off-beat category- "Clark Griswold House." Named after the main character from the movie "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," the category sought out the best in "excessive use of outdoor lighting and decorations." Thankfully for the Mahoneys, their decorating did not have the same disastrous results as Griswold's. Mahoney pointed out that his son will be headed off to college next year, and joked that he may enlist Calogera's help for the next contest. Robert Sharp, of Jasmine Road, took the prize for best "Themed" display. Sharp said he changes the display yearly, and this year's incorporated a staggering 17,000 bulbs. "It was the most amazing, high-tech thing I've ever seen," Cooney said. "His entire property was covered in lights. It went on and off to music." The Sharp family donated their prize money to the township-based organization "Adopt an Angel," which helps to provide holiday gifts for needy children. Though the extraordinary display takes a lot of hard work, it also provides the Sharp family with lots of quality time spent together. "This was a family effort," Sharp said. "We had a great time. We started in August."