Still Time to Check Out Harrison's 'North Pole'

Christmas day has come and gone but residents can take in the Christmas spirit for 12 more days, at 50 Parsons St., the home of Roy Aletti.

For the past 35 years, Aletti has been decorating his home for the holidays. On his little one-way street there is a row of cars and a gaggle of onlookers this time of year. A tour bus made a stop once, and another year the police had to send a traffic officer over to help. More than 400 decorations create a magical holiday vision for young and old alike.

There is a full-size set of reindeers with a sleigh; there are Christmas trees, candy canes, hollyhocks and every other Christmas form you can imagine.  The decorations are mainly from the 1930s and 1940s, but a set of three-foot choirboys date back to the 1920s.  

Aletti owns the Harrison Paint Store, and it takes he and his employees two weeks to put the decorations up. The lights go on the night of Dec. 5. They stay up for five weeks through the 12th day of Christmas, also known as 'Little Christmas', and then it's lights off on Jan. 13th. Aletti and his helpers take a month to dismantle and store the decorations in four custom built sheds.

Aletti said he prefers decorations that won't be seen anywhere else, and although he doesn't depend heavily on lights, his electricity bill still goes up an additional $450 in the month of December.

In the middle of the display, there is a mailbox for letters to Santa. Aletti responds to every one that has a forwarding address, with the following letter:

                                                                        Santa Claus, North Pole

            Dear Little Friend,

            Thank you for sending me such a wonderful letter. I am happy

            that you have been good all year, and I can't wait to visit your

            house this Christmas.

            Here at the North Pole, we are working very hard preparing for

            my most special night of the year. The elves are busy making toys;

            my reindeer are busy practicing their flying; and Mrs. Claus is

            busy making me wonderful meals to keep me healthy and strong.

            Don't forget, I know when you are sleeping and I know when you're

            awake, so be sure to hang your stocking and get to bed early on

            Christmas Eve (and remember, no peeking!)

            Merry Christmas from your jolliest friend,

            Santa Claus

This year 'Santa' received 120 letters in his Harrison mailbox.

Aletti has lived in Harrison his entire life. He has fond memories of decorating his house with his father. At 17, he took over the job and it has grown little by little each year. Now 51 and never married, Aletti has made his holiday display a year-round hobby. He travels the country buying antique decorations, and makes many of the cutouts himself.

So with all the work and extra expense, why does Aletti do it?

"Oh, at 51 I'm the biggest kid on the block! I love the holidays and especially Christmas. You've got to have noticed that special Christmas spirit - even strangers say hello to each other on the streets about town. If I can add to that spirit, and put a smile on someone's face, then the decorations have done their job."

Looking at the faces on the sidewalk you can see that he has clearly achieved his aim.