Lighting up the holiday spirit

by Melissa Martin

Between thousands of colorful lights, merry-go-rounds, teeter-totters, 17 over-the-driveway archways, snowmen, nutcrackers and illuminated trees, it’s no secret that the Rambacher home on Brandywine Road in Sagamore Hills is a popular destination for those in search of some of Northeast Ohio’s best holiday lights.

What those who visit the home might not be aware of, however, is that the annual Christmas light display, named the Best Holiday Lighting Display in Greater Cleveland in 2016, never would have happened if it weren’t for a few pesky raccoons.

“My son used to work at [a local Christmas tree retailer] years ago and called me up one afternoon and asked me if I wanted some Christmas lights,” Don Rambacher said. “I thought maybe they were on sale or something but he proceeded to tell me that if nobody took them, they were all destined for the dumpster. Here, a couple raccoons got inside the trailer and damaged all the boxes.”

Though he and his wife, Rose, had always put up lights in their front yard during the Christmas season, that was the year Rambacher remembers his display transforming from relatively simple to simply breathtaking.

“[My son] and I loaded four or five huge boxes worth of Christmas lights into my car that day,” he said.

Not only were there enough lights to illuminate the entire three-quarter-acre front yard of Rambacher’s 5-acre property, but there also were plenty to store for future bulb or strand replacements.

Rambacher said he’s continued to add to the display every year since, with the biggest additions taking place over the last six years. Like clockwork, from the day before Thanksgiving to the week after New Year’s, he encourages motorists to drive past and even pull into his 175-foot-long driveway where they can see parts of the display that are not as visible from the roadway.

The addition to the 2021 display, he said, is a new holiday mailbox where local children can hop out of the car and mail their letters to Santa Claus.

Rambacher said, “When kids mail their letters [early enough in the season] and include a return address on the envelope, they’re all going to receive a letter back in the mail.”

That’s not the only treat the Rambachers pass out to their guests though. They are also famous for passing out candy canes to visitors who pull in the driveway for a closer view. In 2019 alone, the family passed out more than 1,700 candy canes and likely just as many – if not more – in 2020.

Because of the high number of COVID-19 infections last year, the couple didn’t feel safe giving out individual candy canes to children and other guests. But that didn’t keep the Rambachers from spoiling their home’s admirers.

“I just gave each car a whole box of candy canes,” he said. “You would have thought the kids won the lottery. That’s the best part of having a display like this. It’s so much fun to interact with everyone.”

Passing along his gratitude

Rambacher also recalls a visit he had with a young lady in 2020 who told him she’d been visiting his display for years with her father, who had recently passed away.

She said the two of them would set aside time every year to visit local holiday displays. “Through her tears, she told me that my house was always one of his favorites every single year,” Rambacher said. “I get choked up just thinking about it.”

Making a difference in the lives of others is the reason Rambacher spends approximately 100 hours between mid-October and the end of November setting up the display.

“That’s just the kind of stuff that makes all of this worthwhile,” he said.

As the years have passed and more visitors have starting leaving donations as a thank you for making their holidays a little brighter, Rambacher said he donates all the money he collects every year to charity – in this case, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

In 2020, he collected more than $5,500 in donations — $1,215 from donations made via Facebook and another $4,000 collected outside his home.

“For me, it’s always been go big or go home, so I have my sights set on $10,000 this year,” he said.

Rambacher said he’s already approached friends and community members to help his cause and, in the process, has collected two $500 sponsorships. He’s also managed to secure a generous offer from the Team Reed Foundation.

Patrick Reed, a professional golfer, nine-time PGA TOUR winner and 2018 Masters champion, has agreed to match all donations the Rambachers receive this holiday season up to $10,000.

“Now, all we have to do is get to $10,000 and we can hopefully raise $20,000,” Rambacher said.

While individuals can still leave donations in the collection box outside his home, Rambacher said contributions can also be mailed to 8636 Brandywine Rd., Sagamore Hills, OH 44067.

Additionally, donations can be sent to St. Jude’s directly by using an event code in the check’s memo line. That code, ZKY2208772, will allow the hospital to allocate funds to Rambacher’s total, allowing him to send the certified total to the Team Reed Foundation for matching funds.

Rambacher says donations are “definitely not required” to visit. The display is lit and open to the public from 5-10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and from 5-11 p.m., Friday and Saturday beginning Nov. 24. ∞