Wonderland on Roseville: Fairfield Christmas tradition could end this year [CT]

FAIRFIELD — For 18 years, the Halliwell family has put on “Wonderland on Roseville,” a dazzling Christmas display featuring over 300,000 lights.

This year, however, could be the last, according to Gene Halliwell, a prospect that has him upset because it will mean the end of what he calls a “significant” annual donation to the Shriners Children’s Hospital in Springfield, MA.

“We’re not happy about it,” he said. A petition with 45 signatures sent to the first selectman’s office from residents of Roseville Terrace and Sawyer Road is asking the town and police department to do something to control the traffic the annual display brings to the neighborhood. Those signatures represent 28 households.

Well.....

Several years back, a house in my neighborhood went all out for Christmas. Not to the extent of the folks in this article, but it was a pretty impressive display - 10's of thousands of lights, all synched to music on their own radio station. Buncha animated inflatables for the kids, cool animatronic window displays, the works. They, too, had a donation box out, and raised money for a local charity.

Lots of fun for the folks in the neighborhood for a few evenings, until word got out.

Keep in mind that this is just a generic suburban development. Nothing special or fancy. Narrow, two-lane roads designed for light neighborhood traffic.

We couldn't get to our houses if we got home after dark. Traffic was backed up out of the subdivision, cars parked on both sides of the road, all over people's lawns. We had people traipsing through our yard and pounding on our door at all hours of the night. Fair number of drunks, as well, which surprised me. I lived several streets over, can't imagine what it was like to live next door to that circus.

Finally, the local cops came and shut it down. There was much complaining about the "Local Scrooges", but I'm here to tell you, it was a PITA to deal with.

Seems like local businesses would *kill* for that kind of foot traffic and advertising. I'm sure that something could be worked out in that regard, with a minimal amount of effort....

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