An Oak Bluffs Christmas tradition shines on

The Gatchell family’s Christmas light extravaganza is bigger than ever but donations for the Food Pantry lag far behind last year’s haul.

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Lighting the way to the holiday season, Mr. and Mrs. Claus help the Island celebrate Christmas. For the story behind the Gatchell house decorations see page 6. — Michael Cummo

Islanders in need of a spark of Christmas spirit need only to drive past 148 County Road in Oak Bluffs, where Rob Gatchell’s annual light display is bigger and brighter than ever. Mr. Gatchell has been lighting up the Oak Bluffs night for the past 33 years. Each year, the display grows a little bigger, and a little brighter and it is all for a good cause, the Island Food Pantry, and this season he could use some help.

“I started doing it when my son Kyle was born,” Mr. Gatchell told The Times. “It’s grown every year since then.” In addition to illuminated reindeer, snowmen, Santas, candy canes, a toy train, a choir, penguins, a homemade igloo and a 40-year-old nativity set, over 25,000 lights festoon his home, which he built himself in 1977. The lights go on Thanksgiving night and will go dark at 8 pm on New Year’s eve.

A licensed contractor who specializes in Victorian restoration, Mr. Gatchell draws on all his skills to create the holiday panorama. “I start working on it in the middle of October,” he said. “This year I had to take down two trees that had died before I could get started. Then I get to work with the bucket lift and get up the high stuff.” Mr. Gatchell said he does about 90 percent of the work himself, and his wife Lynn helps with the ground displays.

“This year a woman gave me a bunch of lights that her husband had used before he passed away. It took two 10-hour days to test all the bulbs and fix the bad ones, but it was worth it. Today, I got a Winnie the Pooh Christmas blow up. When I get  home tonight I’ll figure out where to put it.”

Mr. Gatchell said he appreciates the decoration donations, but he’s more interested in donations of food and money for the Island Food Pantry. He said that this year Islanders have been rather Scrooge-like with their donations compared to Christmases past.

“Last year we got about $1,000 in cash donations and 28 cases of food, which is about 1,400 pounds,” he said. “This year, I am way behind. I have nine cases of food, about 450 pounds, and money donations are also way down.”

There are donation boxes in front of Mr. Gatchell’s house. Food donations should be anything that can be stored in a pantry. He said past donations of frozen strawberries, opened cans, and food that was years past the expiration date did not help the cause.

In addition to food and cash donations for the Island Food Pantry, Mr. Gatchell said Islanders can help the cause by going to the B101 radio website to vote for his display in the station’s Christmas light contest.

Santa visits Christmas Eve

Santa Claus has confirmed that weather permitting, he and Mrs. Claus will be at the Gatchell display at 5:30 pm on Christmas eve.  As always, Santa will have his magic key that can unlock any door, to assuage the concerns of any children who live in homes without a chimney.