Wild Holiday Display Wows Visitors To 'Mamulaville' In Severn

SEVERN, MD — Not many men can say that Clark Griswold from the crazy holiday movie "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" happens to be their idol, but Robbie Mamula does. He admits that when the movie was released 30 years ago, he felt inspired to be like light display-obsessed Clark one day. When Robbie and his wife, Angie, began dating in 2000, he didn't even have a Christmas tree in his condo. So together they hit the store and bought a tree, and that's how it all began.

When the family moved to 1545 Ringe Drive in Severn in 2006, the Mamulas brought along a few inflatable Christmas decorations, a couple of reindeer figures and three yard signs they had used to sparsely decorate their townhouse in Piney Orchard. But every year, Robbie Mamula channeled his inner Clark Griswold and expanded his holiday display bit by bit. Today, it's quite the sight to see.

"We will be at 35 inflatables this year with plastic molds, arches and signs that add to the spirit of the yard," Mamula told Patch. "But it was not until we moved into our first single-family home that I was able to fulfill the dream. The LED lights that go from top to bottom on the entire front of the house has grown every year as well. Started with outlining the windows to now having 1,100 feet of C9 lights spread out every 8 inches across the house. This year, we have five new inflatables along with two new signs and one new string Christmas tree I built."

The family even launched a Facebook page five years ago called Mamulaville to help people who don't live close enough to drive there see his latest antics.

"I am the guy who is out the last few days before Dec. 25 — not shopping but rather scouting out inventory of Christmas decor that will be on clearance Dec. 26," he said. "Channeling my inner Clark Griswold ... the last few years, we have had a lighting event as a large group of friends and neighbors gather to watch the eight zones of Christmas lights go on with the timers setting off. I love Christmas. It's by far my favorite time of the year. The lights, colors, decorations, most people in my life are happy and love this time of the year — add it all together, it's my favorite."

Mamula admits he gets a kick out of seeing his huge holiday display every time he pulls into the neighborhood. People from all around drive to Severn just to see it.

"We live in the back of the neighborhood, so we know if cars are in front of our house, they have come to see Mamulaville," he said. "Every night when I am home, I am always tweaking a display, adding lights on a tree or some other type of display. I have a large assortment of lights always available when I clean up the clearance racks each year from Dec. 26-Dec. 30."

In all, Mamulaville features 35 inflatables, nine plastic molds, 13 white reindeer, 1,100 feet of LED lights and four large arches spanning the driveway and more. He tries to change it up some each year so visitors see something different when they stop by. It takes him more than 35 hours to set it all up and, hopefully, is done by Nov. 20 to allow for "35 days of pure joy."

"The week of Halloween, I get the lights up on the house, as once these are up, I have plenty of light in the evening to get work done and the weather is still decent," he said. "I work for Butterball Turkey, and I travel for work and November was a busy month, so I was slightly behind. I am usually back to normal by Dec. 30 or the first week of January, but that all depends on the weather. Everything has to be dry when I put them into storage bins."

In the "Christmas Vacation" movie Mamula adores, Clark Griswold's neighbors are less than enthusiastic about his holiday display. But Mamula's neighbors "are our biggest fans."

"My neighbor behind me has a ton of young grandkids, so they are over a ton during December," he said. "Our neighborhood is pretty good with the amount of participation of Christmas lights on display, but no one comes close to my display. My wife leaves me to the outside decor, but our inside will have just as much but with a ton more style since my wife sets it up."

Mamula's adult daughters, Miranda and Ellie, and his sons, Brady, 10, and Peyton, 12, get a kick out of their dad's holiday craziness, too.

"This is the best time of the year and I love every second of it," Mamula said. "Seeing the Christmas decorations only makes me smile. We are excited that 'Christmas Vacation' is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, too. I have a large assortment of 'Christmas Vacation' decor, clothing and hats. I also wanted to share, and it makes me so happy when I see our house referenced as 'must see' Christmas displays. We have been ranked with Baltimore's 34th Street to Symphony of Lights in Columbia to the Lights in Ocean City."

The Mamulas also are playing Santa's elves this year by accepting donations at Mamulaville to Toys for Tots and a local homeless shelter.