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Newtown Couple's Christmas Display Honors Sandy Hook Angel

NEWTOWN, Conn. — On the front lawn of Rhonda and Chane Cullens’ home at 9 Founders Lane in Newtown sits a lit-up angel figurine alongside a series of 25 lights.

Newtown couple Rhonda and Chane Cullens set up Christmas tree extravaganza in their front yard

Newtown couple Rhonda and Chane Cullens set up Christmas tree extravaganza in their front yard

Photo Credit: Sandra Diamond Fox
A Christmas tree with 26 angel-shaped ornaments, dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook tragedy

A Christmas tree with 26 angel-shaped ornaments, dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook tragedy

Photo Credit: contributed
Some of Rhona and Chane Cullens' Christmas tree decorations

Some of Rhona and Chane Cullens' Christmas tree decorations

Photo Credit: contributed
A tree that is dedicated to those serving in the armed forces

A tree that is dedicated to those serving in the armed forces

Photo Credit: Sandra Diamond Fox
Christmas decorations at the home of Newtown couple Rhonda and Chane Cullens

Christmas decorations at the home of Newtown couple Rhonda and Chane Cullens

Photo Credit: contributed
A 30-foot-tall flagpole that is decorated to look like a Christmas tree

A 30-foot-tall flagpole that is decorated to look like a Christmas tree

Photo Credit: contributed
Christmas decorations

Christmas decorations

Photo Credit: Sandra Diamond Fox
The couples Newtown home, all decorated for the Christmas season

The couples Newtown home, all decorated for the Christmas season

Photo Credit: Sandra Diamond Fox
a lit angel figurine, in honor of a girl who lives nearby who died in the Sandy Hook tragedy -- along with 25 lights to represent her friends and teachers who also died that day

a lit angel figurine, in honor of a girl who lives nearby who died in the Sandy Hook tragedy -- along with 25 lights to represent her friends and teachers who also died that day

Photo Credit: Sandra Diamond Fox

This angel pays tribute to a little girl who lived near them who lost her life in the Sandy Hook School tragedy in 2012. The lights beside the angel represent the girl's friends and teachers who also lost their lives on that fateful day.

The angel figurine and lights make up a small portion of the Cullens’ Christmas decoration extravaganza that has spread across their 1-acre property.

The decorations also include 18 lit up reindeer, a 10-foot blow-up Santa Claus, a train with animated motion and a 30-foot flagpole that’s decorated to look like a tree.

In addition, there is a red, white and blue tree decorated with American flags in honor of the people who are serving in the armed forces, including their son Chad, 23, who is a specialist in the U.S. Army.

Rhonda Cullens’ Christmas-decorating craze started in 1993 when the family -- including 26-year-old son Cody — moved to Newtown from Oregon.

“At first, I didn’t have much landscaping to put any lights on. As we started doing more landscaping, I started adding things. It was a slow growth,” she said.

Cullens gets her ideas while out shopping.

“It’s usually something I see at Costco, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, or K-Mart when I’m there shopping for other stuff, too,” she said. “I’ve also looked at some stuff online. I’ll see something I like, buy it, and then figure out where I can make room for it.”

As for the number of lights used, Cullens said, “Five years ago, I stopped counting when we went over 30,000 lights.”

When asked about cost, she joked, “We keep Home Depot, Costco and Eversource in business.”

For the past 10 years, on the first Sunday in December, the couple has a tradition of inviting Newtown residents to their home for a viewing.

“Our neighbors come to our driveway and bring cookies and hot chocolate. Then we go out into the street and sing Christmas Carols," Cullens said.

She then calls the "North Pole" on her cellphone and asks to speak to Santa.

“I tell him that we are ready for the lights to go on,” Cullens said. “Then we do a countdown from 10 and when we’re done, the lights go on.

“We get about 100 people every year,” she said. “The kids love it.”

Cullens feels strongly about the theme of her decorations.

“My theme with my decorations has always been ‘let your light shine.'

“This theme became especially meaningful after the Sandy Hook tragedy,” she said. “After this happened, there was a lot of darkness in our town and I wanted to bring some of the light back.”

Aside from the angel figurine and lights, also dedicated to the Sandy Hook tragedy is a tree with green and white lights containing 26 angel shaped ornaments -- which are the Sandy Hook Elementary School colors.

“Both my kids went to Sandy Hook School,” she said. “I lost friends and neighbors in the tragedy.”

The Cullens' Christmas lights are turned on daily from 5 to 10 p.m. through Jan. 1.

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