LA MIRADA : ‘Christmas House’ to Benefit Abused Youths

Tom and Chris Wilkinson, who transform their property into a “Christmas House” each year to raise money for charity, will light their display Sunday after two months of preparations.

Hundreds of onlookers are expected to show up Sunday to inspect the Wilkinsons’ latest extravaganza, which includes about 70 Christmas trees, a sled with model reindeer, a miniature Ferris wheel, a miniature ski slope, a model train, a Nativity scene, dozens of model figures and 10,000 lights stretching from the front lawn to the roof of their home at 14371 Ramo Drive.

The 6 p.m. lighting also will feature carolers, a disc jockey and about a dozen children dressed as elves.

The event has proved so popular with residents in previous years that the city has rescheduled its own tree-lighting ceremony for Dec. 8 to avoid a conflict, said City Manager Gary Sloan.

A man dressed as Santa Claus will be stationed in the couple’s garage nightly from Monday to Dec. 24 to pose for photographs with those who donate $5 to an organization that helps abused children. The Wilkinsons said they collected $5,000 last year.

The Wilkinsons have been decorating their home for 11 years and raising money for charity for the last eight years. The display will stand until Jan. 1.

“If we didn’t really care about each other, we would never make it through Christmas, because this is very, very stressful,” Chris Wilkinson said.