“Spectacular Holiday Cheer: Cumberland County Family Lights Up the Season in Style!”

A couple residing in Upper Allen Township experiences somewhat different perspectives on the festive season. Nevertheless, every year they discover mutual enthusiasm when it pertains to their ornately adorned residence.

“I am a Christmas enthusiast,” Amanda Brudowsky expressed. “It’s my preferred season. My husband? Not quite as much.”

Yet, Brudowsky mentioned that her spouse Ed takes pleasure in coding, fiddling, and “shiny objects.”

Upon moving into their residence at 1793 Empress Drive five years ago, and noticing that their house was the only one in the vicinity lacking Christmas decorations, it sparked ideas for both of them.

“I suggested that it would be enjoyable to have one of those homes that can synchronize their lights with music one year,” Brudowsky recounted. “The next year, he proposed, ‘I think I’d like to do that. I believe that would be enjoyable.’”

With this thought in mind, and automated lights set up through the Twinkly app, the Brudowskys initiated their plan.

Currently, Lights of Empress has become a family tradition, with all four of the Brudowsky children engaging in the lengthy preparation process.

This marks the third year the Brudowskys have adorned their home with lights synchronized to a Christmas playlist, which they broadcast on 106.3 FM (and now digitally through a QR code located on their porch).

Alongside a Facebook profile, the family possesses an Instagram account documenting some of the intricate work that occurs behind the scenes annually.

• READ MORE: Where can you see Christmas lights? Here’s a compilation of displays this festive season

Together, the family arranges yard displays, writes the necessary code for the light spectacles, and curates the playlist. The complete process commences several months prior, as Brudowsky indicated.

“We begin planning the lights for the upcoming season in June, setting them up in October,” she noted. “It takes us around three weeks for complete installation and an additional week to sit outside, play each song, and ensure that there are no issues. Therefore, it’s probably about a month of arranging and resolving issues. Our aim every year is to launch by Thanksgiving.”

The Lights of Empress have also turned the family into local celebrities within the community and schools.

“One of my daughters came home last week and said, ‘There was a car full of teachers in front of our house last night,’” Brudowsky recalled. “‘They informed me today that they were here.’ We’ve connected with people – our children developed friendships in their classes during August, and when we interact with the parents, they say, ‘Oh, you’re the Christmas light house!’ So it’s enjoyable.”

This year’s playlist lasts 90 minutes and repeats throughout the evening, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. As Christmas approaches, they extend hours until 11 p.m.

“Everyone charges for everything during the festive season,” Brudowsky pointed out. “We can set this up and create a bit of Christmas magic for families who can’t afford to visit Hersheypark or partake in all the other activities that require admission fees.”

The location is also ideally suited for hosting a light show, she remarked, as visitors turn a corner and the house emerges “out of nowhere, as if from the shadows.”

“We’re extremely fortunate to have this excellent traffic pattern allowing people to come from either side of the street,” she stated. “There are still areas where you can pull over to enjoy a song or two. People have been very considerate when it starts to get a bit busier — like this upcoming week, it’s Christmas, we know we’ll draw a crowd. They aren’t lingering for more than a song or two.”

Brudowsky also mentioned that the neighbors appreciate the display, and all nearby families strive to park down the street to accommodate extra visitors.

“And due to the QR code now, our neighbors can actually walk to our house and scan the QR code on their phone,” she indicated. “It eliminates a vehicle, and they can simply stand on the sidewalk and listen for as long as they desire.”

Furthermore, not only will the Lights of Empress return next year, but ideally, Brudowsky shared, they plan to broaden their activities.

“We do have aspirations,” she expressed. “If it adheres to my timeline, this coming October we will have a small-scale Halloween light spectacle.”