AURORA, Colo. — Corey "Claus" Christiansen has outdone himself this year. He hangs lights on his Aurora home every year, but this year, he reached a personal record.
"Everything about it just brings joy to my heart. I love especially the light that the Christmas season brings. And yeah, something about Christmas lights, I can just never get enough of it," said Christiansen.
Corey aims to add more to his display, It's a Wonderful Light, every year. This year, he spent 200 hours hanging 110,000 lights — all in an effort to raise money for the Autism Society of Colorado.
Both of Christiansen's children were diagnosed with autism at an early age. Since then, Christiansen and his wife, Monica, have relied on the support of the Autism Society.
"Receiving that diagnosis can be very isolating. You can feel like you're the only person who's going through that at the moment, and I know that's how we felt when we first started this journey," said Christiansen.
Since 2018, Christiansen has raised money through his love of Christmas decorations. His home is a seasonal spectacle, drawing visitors for the entire month of December.
"This is a tradition for people. They come every year and look forward to it, and that’s been really awesome," said Christiansen's wife, Monica.
Visitors can scan smartly placed QR codes included in the light display. The link allows them to make a direct donation to the Autism Society of Colorado. Since 2018, Christiansen has raised $40,000 for the nonprofit.
"We wanted to be able to pay it forward, give it back to them, and so they can be able to help out other Colorado families," he said.
Each year culminates in a party held at the lite display, called SPREADLIGHT Night. Families of the Autism Society are invited to enjoy a night of hot chocolate, superhero cosplay, and lights.
If you'd like to visit the display, you can head to 4822 South Picadilly Court in Aurora. Lights are on daily, through January 2, from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m.
If you'd like to make a direct donation to the Autism Society of Colorado, you can visit its website.
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