18 • Wednesday, December 20, 2006 • MID-HUDSON POST PIONEER
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Deck the lawns
Carolers delight viewers at annual Marlboro Christmas display

It all started as a way to entertain his young daughter. Now, 19 years later, Marlboro Middle School art teacher Sam Sylvester is still cranking out new wooden cut-outs of cartoon characters for the annual Christmas display at his home on Pleasant View Drive.   Instead of just entertaining his daughter Kristy, who is now away at college, he puts on a show for the whole town.   "I would see the twinkle in the eyes of my students at Christmas time," said Sylvester. "And I thought, 'What if I can make something no one else does.'   And my display, no one makes anything like this." Sylvester's once modest lawn display has gradually taken over the front yards of his three neighbors, with an intricate network of extension cords feeding floodlights and a sound system blasting Christmas music for four hours each night throughout December.   Sylvester says convincing his neighbors was no problem.   "They begged me to make cut-outs for their lawns," he said.   Sylvester says he does his homework each year, finding which movies were the most popular with kids.   He spends his summers cutting out the figures on three-quarter inch plywood and hand painting them using enamel paints.   Last summer, he made 18 new characters on seven different pieces of wood, including characters from Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Wererabbit and the Disney film Cars.   Preparations for the display begin the day after Thanksgiving, when, instead of rushing to the malls for the Black Friday sales, 80 friends, family and students come to Sylvester's home and help him set up the vast display.  The setup is so enormous, Sylvester has to use a schematic diagram to assure that every thing is in its right place and doesn't draw too much power.
" I would see the twinkle in the eyes of my students at Christmas time. And I thought, 'What if I can make something no one else does?'" - Sam Sylvester	A labor of love Sylvester says his annual labor of love (he does not charge admission, despite the thousands of dollars he sinks into materials and electricity each year) goes beyond entertainment.   For Sylvester, who had taught art in the district for 33 years, the display's popularity serves as an important lesson for current and former students. "I keep doing it so my students can see how creativity can grow into a service for the whole community.   This is a service I'm very proud of."

This year, like last year, the ladies of the Evergreen Chorus, the local chapter of the international Sweet Adelines club, stopped in to sing Christmas carols Saturday night.   Sylvester's wife Kathy is a member of the group, so they performed free of charge.   The women sang familiar favorites like "Winter Wonderland," "White Christmas," "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen" and "The Christmas Song" in pleasing four-part harmonies.

I think it went well," said Susan Koppenhaver, assistant director of the Poughkeepsie-based group.   "Everyone stood there out in the cold for a half hour so they must have enjoyed it."  

"We do a lot of this sort of thing for the community," said Cary Kruzansky, who handles public relations for the group.   The Evergreen Chorus has performed at numerous area holiday events, including the Town of Wappingers' tree lighting, a concert in Hyde Park and traditional front porch caroling.

Chorus seeking members
Koppenhaver said the chorus is always looking for new members, ages 16 and up.   Prospective members can sign up for a month-long series of voice lessons, if necessary.   "If you can sing and have a pleasing voice, we can work with you," she said.   Prospective members or anyone looking for information on the group can find it on the group's website, www.evergreenchorus.org.

Some attendees this weekend had never seen the display, while others said they make a point of coming to see it each year.   Everyone agreed that the display was impressive, with the majority of passers-by using the superlative "fantastic" to describe it."  

"It's nice for the kids and adults," said Mike Williams.   "I'm from the city, and we don't have any thing like this down there.   It gets everyone into the giving spirit."

"I've been coming for about 10 years," said Debbie Peden of Newburgh.   "It's the sheer joy of Christmas.   It's fantastic. They [the Sylvesters] do it for nothing, and especially with the electricity bill... That's just the way they are."

The new additions for 2006 weren't lost on the children who come each year. "I liked Wallace & Gromit and Cars," said Samantha Peden, Debbie Peden's daughter. "I also liked the singing, especially 'Jingle Bells.'" 

Everyone agreed this year's display was the best yet.   "We like it better because of the singing and there are more decorations," said Kayla Lee of Highland, who says she comes every year with her brother and sister.   "It used to stop at one house and now it keeps going."  

The display, which is illuminated from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. nightly, will run until Dec. 27.

WillDendis