"Christmas Court" Brings Cheer

Feeling grinch-y this holiday season?  Take a drive down Bayport's Collins Court, a.k.a "Christmas Court," and get in the spirit.  The street is located off of Railroad Street in Bayport.

Beginning after Thanksgiving until about a week after New Year's each year, people from all over Long Island come in their toasty-warm car to see the homes on the well-known street.

The homes are not only decorated in lights with inflatable Christmas dolls, but also in scenes of angels with trumpets and Santa Claus on a midnight airplane delivery.  Even the grinch makes an appearance with a photo slide show in the window of one of the Victorian-style homes. 

Resident Jay Makavana says the best time to visit the Court is at around 7 p.m.  He turns his lights on at around 5 p.m. and leaves them on until 10:30 or 11 p.m. 

The court's end house acts as a centerpiece for the festive block, with music and lots of decorations.  The home's owner, Teresa Rizzuto, says it takes her and four other people a weekend to fully decorate the home. 

Rizzuto's favorite decoration is Santa on an airplane, which is fitting as Rizzuto is the Commissioner of Aviation and Transportation for Islip's Long Island MacArthur Airport.

The airplane's runway is a series of red Christmas lights. 

Resident Darlene Maxwell says the holiday fun began approximately 13 years ago when all of the neighbors began decorating their homes.  Back then, the Maxwell's decorated in traditional Christmas decorations, but they have acquired new decorations as the years have passed.  For example, they added lighted snowflakes last year.   

According to one resident, more than one hundred cars make it down to the Court each night in December. 

While some might see the constant bombardment of cars and spectators down a residential street as annoying, "Christmas Court" homeowners take pride in the court.

"It never gets annoying.  We love it," said Rizzuto, who moved to the Court in 2008.