Philly cop lights up neighborhood with Christmas display

A Philadelphia police officer is trying to rival a famous movie with his Christmas lights display.

On Hardy Road, near Red Lion and the Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia, George Feinstein does his best Chevy Chase impersonation as he puts up thousands of lights and other decorations for Christmas.

His efforts to emulate the “Christmas Vacation” display stretch beyond his property and spread out into his neighbors’ yards on both sides.

“The blow-up (decorations) are the biggest thing, they take up the most space,” Feinstein said. “My neighbors are very nice, they let me use their areas too. That’s why it’s so wide, it’s so big … it’s very nice of them.”

Feinstein, who is Jewish, has a Santa, reindeer and a tree with presents in the yard.

He says he got the holiday decorating bug helping his neighbors put up decorations as a kid.

But his mother wouldn’t let him decorate their home.

“She said, ‘Whatever you want to do in your house, you do whatever you want. If you want pets, if you want Christmas lights, it’s your house, I’m happy. Whatever makes you happy,'” Feinstein recalled.

Powering the lights for December costs as much as running Feinstein’s air conditioner for the two hottest summer months — combined.

He says it’s all worth it.