BRAD HORN/Nevada Appeal Dale and Ruth Defilippi, winners of the Nevada Appeal's annual Christmas lights contest, stand in front of their creation on Quinn Drive on Wednesday.
To win this year's best outdoor light display in Carson City, the Defilippi family collected Christmas lights and ornaments for 15 years.
They spent between $3,000-$5,000 at Lowe's, Target and The Home Depot.
Their December power bill doubles to $350, pulling the maximum 100 amperage for their home. The lights suck up half of that. They have to turn their hot tub off to run all the 40,000-plus clear lights, which include icicles, hanging stars, lighted nets over the bare rose bushes, two angels, two arches and a herd of tiny reindeer.
Their house went dark only a few times.
"We learned that we can't run the dryer with the lights on," said Dale Defilippi, architect of the family's most ambitious holiday yard display and winner of the Nevada Appeal's annual contest.
Many voted using ballots in the daily newspaper, giving 4197 Quinn Drive the prize: a $100 gift certificate to Meek's Lumber & Hardware. The east Carson home beat out 31 others.
Their win was a family accomplishment. Ruth Defilippi and daughters 10-year-old Corrinne and 6-year-old Victoria assisted. Devon, 4, is a little too young to join in on the fun. Ruth's best friend, Belinda McCurdy, of Carson City, also helped pull together the display.
Defilippi, a network architect for IGT, calls the display an elegant Christmas tribute all around their 1,600-square-foot home. After the strong wind storm this week, he's had to repair a few toppled tree ornaments.
"We didn't start out quite this crazy - it grew," said Virginia Reimold, Ruth's mother.
This was the family's first year in the contest, a win that was a surprise to anyone, even Corrinne.
"I didn't believe it," she said. "I thought the house with the colored lights would win."
They have one slightly yellow star on the roof. Their Christmas tree is decorated in colored lights.
Defilippi said the votes of friends and neighbors pulled them ahead.
"We had one neighbor who faithfully sent in her ballot every day."
To view the winning home take North Edmonds Drive from Highway 50, turn left on Pheasant Drive and left on Latigo Drive. The home is on the corner of Quinn and Latigo drives. The Defilippi family keeps the lights on from 5:30-9 p.m. The lights will come down Monday.
• Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.