A 19-year-old from East Northport, Long Island, is brightening the holiday season with a spectacular Christmas light display built entirely from discarded decorations. For the fourth consecutive year, Andrew Reid has transformed his home into a winter wonderland, using only recycled materials and donations from the community. This year’s dazzling display, known as the “Misfit Island Christmas Spectacular,” boasts an impressive 100,000 lights and over 500 decorations.
Reid’s motivation extends beyond festive cheer. The aspiring paramedic aims to raise funds for the Ronald McDonald House, a charity providing housing for families of children undergoing treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses. “I love to help people out,” Reid shared in an interview. “I’m going to school to be a paramedic. And I like to make people happy… so why not do a display and raise money for kids with cancer as well?”
The tradition began during the pandemic when Reid and his family discovered discarded holiday decorations near their home. Intrigued by a discarded polar bear figure, Reid took it home, repaired it, and discovered a passion for restoring holiday décor. “I saw this polar bear,” he recalled. “I couldn’t pass up on it. I took it home, tinkered around with it, was able to fix it up and it became easy after that.”
Through trial and error, Reid taught himself the intricacies of electrical wiring and the mechanics of holiday decorations. “I was able to figure out how electricity works, how positive and negative works, how the neutral works on all these things,” he explained. “Now, just seeing it, I know the problem with these wires: what not to touch… It just comes easy to me.”
This year, Reid is encouraging community participation by inviting visitors to add ornaments to his “Misfit Tree.” “If anyone wants to bring their Christmas tree ornaments they could put it on the tree and then your ornaments will be part of my display, and you could see it every year,” he stated.
The Misfit Island Christmas Spectacular serves as a testament to the power of creativity, sustainability, and community spirit. Reid’s ingenuity has not only created a visually stunning display but also provides a platform for supporting a worthy cause, bringing joy and hope to families facing challenging times.
