Norwalk Family Wins $50K National Prize for Christmas Lights Display

Rick and Joan Setti of Norwalk, whose Christmas lights display at 6 Midwood Rd. has been going up for 26 years, won $50,000 on the season finale of ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight” television show, which aired Monday night, the Norwalk Hour reported.

The Settis’ 150,000-light display, which also includes more than 400 characters, competed against a California family with laser-beam decorations on their home and a display put on by a Florida family, according to the Hour.

Rick Setti said this is the last year they expect to have the display.

Here’s a message they posted Tuesday morning on their “Santa Setti’s Christmas Village” Facebook timeline:

A message from Rick & Joan Setti:

To all who have touched OUR hearts over the past 26 year,

There are no words to describe how we feel about having to close the village for the last time this season. Just know that as much as we have been a tradition to you….You have been a tradition to us.

We have made some pretty wonderful memories for so many people, including ourselves, and we are just so happy to have been able to bring a little tradition, peace of mind, and place of comfort & holiday spirit to you all.

We owe you, our community, a real big THANK YOU for spending your time with us at the Village, telling your friends to visit the Best Light display they’ve ever seen, bringing your family out on Christmas Eve to sit with Santa & Mrs. Claus (we’ll miss this more than you can imagine), and all the memories that will forever bestowed in Joan’s and my heart.

This year is our last year doing the Village and all it’s lights (that doesn’t mean next year we won’t have any, just not the huge spectacle like we‘ve had for the last 26 years).

Last year someone sent in a video of our light show to ABC’s Great Christmas Light Fight, to our surprise they asked us to be on their show. We figured since this was our last year, why not go out sharing our home with the entire USA on national television & of course try and take home the grand prize.

What a beautiful way to put the Village to bed, we thought. Winning the Great Christmas Light Fight was our ultimate goal.

We want to thank the Community for your Love and Support over the years; again there are just no words to describe how we feel about our great community and these last 26 years. With out YOU ALL we would never have WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It bittersweet to go out on top after 26 years. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Merry Christmas,

Rick & Joan Setti

Photos from “Santa Setti’s Christmas Village” Facebook timeline