4 DECEMBER 10, 2020 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Ridgewood family decks out home with Christmas
display and collects donations for Toys for Tots
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
AACEVEDO@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
A longtime Ridgewood family
wants to help spread holiday
cheer amid the COVID-19
pandemic with their fi rst Christmas
extravaganza.
Giovanni Perna, who ran for Assembly
District 38 in this year’s election,
said he and his family wanted to
give back this holiday season. He said
it was his mother, Cathy Mazzarella,
who not only thought of the idea, but
also decorated most of the home.
“I’m in shock,” said Perna, adding
that their family has lived in Ridgewood
for more than 40 years. “My
mother decorates every year … every
year she would buy more and more,
and it came out to this.”
Their home, located at 1715 Summerfi
eld St., features colorful Christmas
lights as well as infl atable snowmen,
candy canes and Santa Claus.
What sets their home apart is that
while visitors can marvel at the outside
of their home, they may also walk
through their decorated driveway and
into their backyard for an intimate
and immersive experience.
They also set up a donation box in
order to collect toys to give to Toys for
Tots. They will be collecting toys until
Dec. 20.
“This is to put a smile on kids’ faces,”
said Mazzarella. “I know a lot of
people lost their jobs. I have four boys.
They’re all grown now, but I always
wanted them to have gift s too.”
Their home, driveway and backyard
is open to the public from 6 to
8 p.m., and the lights will be on from
5 to 11 p.m. throughout the weeks in
December.
The family asks visitors to wear
masks and social distance, and will
Photos by Gabriele Holtermann
provide hand sanitizer before and
aft er entrance to their driveway.
“If you have nothing to do or want
something for your family to get into
the holiday spirit, you can come by and
check it out,” said Perna. “If you want
to donate, that’d be awesome too.”
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