Community Corner
WATCH: Holiday Light Show Dazzles Hampstead Neighborhood
This Hampstead family gets into the spirit of the holidays with music, lights and a whole lot of extension cords.
Sitting in front of the Wende House during the holidays is like watching fireworks in July. It's festive and spectacular and entertaining and touching all at the same time.
Flo Wende said that for her the holidays are all about family. Last year, her family embarked on a colorful project with a goal of inspiring other families to spend time together.
Wende, her husband Lance and son Kyle love to drive around and look at holiday lights. A couple years ago while doing just that, Wende said they saw a house in Frederick County that had the lights set to music. She said they fell in love with it and were inspired to try it at their home. Finally last year the Wende family made the dream a reality.
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"It took us a couple years, we knew it would be expensive," Wende said.
She said three years ago after Christmas they bought all their lights on clearance and then last year bought all the computer programs and other materials.
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Wende said it takes an entire day to just set up the lights. She said they have 20,000 lights right now and intend to add more next year. Programming the lights to music takes the most time Wende said—six to eight hours for each song.
The Wende Family Animated Light Show takes place at 3901 Saxon Ct. in Hampstead 21074. The show is 45 minutes long and runs continuously from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Visitors can hear the music by tuning their car radio to FM 90.7.
The Wende family hosts a special Christmas Eve show from 5 to 10 p.m. during which they serve hot chocolate, hot cider, homemade cookies and candy canes. Wende said the week after Christmas they will switch the music up to New Year's celebration music.
"We love the holiday season, it's all about family," Wende told Patch. "Last year on Christmas Eve we saw families come out and get hot chocolate and just spend time with each other and that's what it's all about."
To see more videos of the show, check out their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/WendeAnimatedLightShow
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