Christmas surprise: Local family gifted larger-than-life light display

By CNN Newsource

Published December 17, 2021 3:05 PM

By Hannah Mackenzie

CULLOWHEE, North Carolina (WLOS) — Christmas is looking a lot brighter this year for a family in Cullowhee – quite literally.

The Alvarez family was gifted a larger-than-life Christmas light display on Tuesday. Four thousand lights, 200-feet of garland, life-sized snowmen and giant snowflakes make the house visible from across town.

“It’s so awesome,” Geisha Alvarez exclaimed. “Everybody knows we live here now!”

The surprise was pulled off by Brandon Stephens, president of Christmas Décor, and seven of his helpful elves.

“We were able to knock the display out in probably 4.5 hours,” Stephens said.

The professional home and business decoration company makes it its mission to give back to deserving families across the country. The business has installed displays for 200 families each year since 2005. The Alvarez family’s home, one of their latest projects.

“For us, it was evident that they deserved some recognition,” Stephens said. “They deserved a gift,”

The Alvarez family was nominated for the installation by two people who don’t even know each other.

“It makes us happy,” Angel Alvarez said. “It makes us know that what we do for other people, help them out in a time of need, it counts for something.”

Geisha Alvarez is working toward a degree. This semester, she made the Dean’s List. She also works full-time, balancing the busy schedules of the couples’ eight children and serving as sole-caregiver to Angel. Angel, a U.S. Army veteran, sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) when his convoy was hit by an IED in Iraq. He’s also a two-time cancer survivor.

With a full plate, the pair still finds time to volunteer with multiple non-profit organizations. Angel recently returned home after volunteering with hurricane survivors in New Orleans as part of Team Patriot and Geisha is collecting toys to distribute to military families though Operation Homefront.

“The best way to keep on pushing and live is to do things for others,” Angel Alvarez said. “And that would fulfill me.”

Now, this twinkling token of appreciation is making this deserving family’s holiday all the more merry.

According to Christmas Décor, its employees handle the install and tear down for each Christmas display project. They also provide a gift card to take care of any additional electricity costs.

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