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Stettler family tradition lights up the block

Another Stettler tradition lighting the night is back for 2022.
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The Maruk Family Christmas lights are dazzling people for another festive season. (Photo submitted)

Another Stettler tradition lighting the night is back for 2022.

The Maruk Family Christmas Lights are again set up at 4209 63 St. in Stettler, and if you are driving by you are going to want to dial in to 88.5 FM as the lights are set to music.

You see, the Maruk Family Christmas Lights aren’t your average Christmas light show.

Stephen Maruk, the mastermind behind the Stettler display, is part of a growing Canada-wide network of light designers and programmers who are able to build displays and have lights set out and fire in patterns using a computer.

According to Maruk, the props he uses are made of chloroplast and are made by someone he knows in Medicine Hat.

The props are cut into the appropriate shapes, and have holes drilled into them for the lights to be popped into. While Maruk has a wiring diagram to go off of, the props aren’t marked, so it can be a time-intensive process to get the lights set up where they need to be.

“It takes a lot of trial and error,” said Maruk.

However, Maruk isn’t doing this completely on his own. His family helps him with the setup of the lights, and for any technical issues he runs across he is usually able to find help on YouTube or via Zoom rooms which are hosted at no charge by other designers.

“It’s an amazing level of support.”

In addition for doing the lights for the love of being able to put on a good show, the Maruk family are also able to support a good cause while doing it.

During the winter of 2021-22 the family collected donations for the Stettler Food Bank, and for 2022-23 the family is looking at supporting the organization again, or possibly donating toys to the Ronald McDonald House.

For Food Bank donations, the family has a bin at the front of their property set up.



Kevin Sabo

About the Author: Kevin Sabo

I’m Kevin Sabo. I’ve been a resident of the Castor area for the last 12 years and counting, first coming out here in my previous career as an EMT.
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