Holiday Lights Spark Fire on Arlington Drive in Woodbury

The Woodbury Fire Department was able to contain the fire to the room where it started.

An electric candle—part of holiday decorations—sparked a fire at a Woodbury home Tuesday night. The fire broke out at the 3800 block of Arlington Drive, but it was a “quick knockdown” and crews were able to limit the fire to an upstairs bedroom, said Mike Richardson, emergency services commander. The electric candle started a curtain on fire, he said. No one was hurt. The department got the call at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and crews were back at the station by 9 p.m., Richardson said. “No major damage to the house,” he said. Richardson sent Patch these links regarding fire safety during the holidays: http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/Public%20Education/Winter_Holiday_Safety.pdf http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/Public%20Education/…

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Woodbury’s ‘Mr. Merry Christmas’

Holiday lights display on Woodbine Avenue has been a Woodbury staple over the years.

People from as far away as Germany and Japan have stopped in front of Roger and Linda Dawson’s Woodbury home to take photos of their impressive lights display. But the work to get the thousands of lights and dozens of ornaments and figurines up each year is more locally focused. “After Halloween the neighborhood kids come up and help carry stuff out of the garage,” Roger said. “They help take it down in spring, too. And in January we take the kids to Chucky Cheese to say thanks.” Their Woodbine Avenue home has become one of the city’s best-known lights displays each winter. And it also helps when friends are asking for directions to the home—a 32-foot string of lights spells out “Merry Christmas” on a fence. “People will say, ‘Oh, you’re …

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Angela's Angle

'Christmas Vacation' at Home in Woodbury

My husband has made a few changes over the years, but our lights display is no less 'Griswoldian.'

Our household is part "Griswold" (as in Clark Griswold from the movie Christmas Vacation) when it comes to holiday lights. My husband starts in November—hauling down box after bulging box of lights from our garage attic. He diagrams the placement of the lights for beauty and efficiency, noting how many strings can be strung safely together and how much power each available outlet provides. He hauls an extension ladder around the house and hangs icicle lights before the first snow comes. Then it's on to the trees. His masterpiece for years was our 40-foot blue spruce on the front lawn. He spent days stringing it with 7,200 twinkle lights and topped it with a bright star. He noted that the official tree at the governor's residence only had 3…

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