decorating
CHRISTMAS DECOR OF WAYNE
Craig Tkaczenko
says he has been providing holiday lighting services for over 20 years , and was one of the first to do so in the area . The Wayne Christmas Décor is one of 400 franchise locations nationwide .
Tkaczenko and his team put up , take down , store and service the lights placed on more than 200 homes during the holiday season ; at least half of these customers have been with him for a minimum of15years . “ Everything is energy-efficient and LED , and because you don ’ t own anything , the only thing you need to do is enjoy it ,” he says .
The decorating process doesn ’ t change much from house to house , he says . Each year , Tkaczenko and his team take the items stored for individual houses , all of which are labeled for specific parts of the façade , including windows , roofs and trees , out of storage . “ We draw an installation map , which is basically a map of the house ,” Tkaczenko says .
Reinstallation proposals are sent to customers in mid-September , which is around the same time , Tkaczenko says , that he begins to get calls from people who are thinking of hiring him . Instillations begin in the middle of October and continue over the next few months .
This home in Wayne is beautifully decorated with the roof and ridgeline in white lights , and snowflakes dotting the roof . Additional snowflakes are also featured on the façade of the home . The windows are outlined in white lights , several of them wrapped like presents ; a large wreath in white lights and a red bow adorns the large picture window on the front of the house . Garlands outline the door frame ; the large picture window is highlighted with three large red bows . Stake lighting defines the front landscaping .
Tkaczenko goes all out when it comes to decorating his own home , using around 10,000 lights on it every holiday season . He says it ’ s a tradition to decorate his home , his father ’ s home around the corner and his neighbor ’ s home across the street the day before Thanksgiving . “ Two blocks from the house you can see the glow ,” he says .
While the colors may vary from year to year , Tkaczenko and his crew line the ridgeline and roof with lights , put stake lights in the yard around the landscaping and driveway , and line the windows with white or multi-colored lights and wrapping trees .
COURTESY OF CRAIG TKACZENKO
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HOLIDAY 2020 WAYNE MAGAZINE