Just about any Milwaukee neighborhood is a-glow with holiday decorations this time of year, but some folks really love to do it up. Not even spiked electricity bills stop these holiday enthusiasts from celebrating the season with illumination.
The most obvious places to enjoy the sights of Christmas include Candy Cane Lane or Miller's Holiday Light Show, but here are a few lesser-known locales that are loco for lights.
The residence above Libby's Lounge
1682 N. Van Buren St.
Sandy Kerzner loved driving around and looking at holiday lights when she was a kid, so five years ago she decided to contribute to the street magic.
"I loved the lights as a kid, I really did. We would drive by them and I was always like, 'yay!'" says Kerzner, whose boyfriend owns Libby's Lounge.
Kerzner estimates there are 5,000 lights in her display, and she contributes to the collection every year, introducing new pieces and replacing burned-out models. She bought her decorations, which range from moving Santas to rare red icicle lights, at Menards, Target, Wal-Mart and Big Lots.
The red icicle lights, however, she special ordered from a private seller in Colorado.
"Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the person, so when these burn out, I'll have to do something else," says Kerzner, who was a waitress at Giovanni's restaurant, across the street from her home, for 21 years.
Kerzner starts decorating the first week of November to avoid the frigid weather and says it takes about a week to complete.
"One year I put them up closer to Christmas, but it was just too cold for me," she says.
The display costs Kerzner an extra $200 a month on her electricity bill, even though she has the lights on a timer to shine from 4 to 10 p.m. during the week, and until midnight on the weekends.
"Every year, it gets more expensive," says Kerzner, who also decorates for Halloween and Easter. "But I love doing it."
Wisconsin Humane Society
4500 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Once it gets dark, you can't miss the humane society grounds that are adorned with thousands of holiday lights framing the building and outlining dozens of trees.
"We have about 5,000 lights this year, which is a few more lights than usual," says Community Relations Specialist Angela Speed.
Most of the lights were donated at a human society fundraiser in early December called "Hope's Lights." For $20, people purchased a white light to commemorate a lost pet or loved one or a colored light to honor a pet or person still alive. Lights are still available for purchase via the human society's Web site.
"It's a thoughtful gift," says Speed.
Milwaukee resident Denise Cawley lives in the neighborhood, but she questions the appropriateness of a non-profit organization having such a massive display.
"It is so ridiculous how many lights are on the building and every single tree. There must be 200 trees with lights … while they may care about some animals, they don't seem to care about the earth where the animals have to live if they are using that much electricity," says Cawley.
Maria's Pizzaria
5025 W. Forest Home Ave.
Maria's is a festive atmosphere any time of year, with most of the red walls covered with religious paintings, plastic flowers on tables and extra strands of lights, but around Christmastime, they take the decorations to the next level.
For the month of December, Maria's is glowing, blinking and twinkling with hundreds of decorations, from lights to an almost life-size Santa that greets customers at the door. Some of the decorations look like treasures from Grandma's attic, while others are more modern, like a large electric snow globe.
The waitresses wear red dresses all year round, but during the holiday season, their "uniform" adds to the festive appearance. The food even fits in, with the bulk of the menu consisting of entrees with red sauce.
Matt Davis travels to Maria's from his East Side home every December to take in the scene with his son and daughter.
"My kid said it felt like being inside a Christmas decoration," says Davis. "And he's right."
