This New Jersey town is saying bah-humbug to a local man’s massive Christmas lights display.
Thomas Apruzzi, 51, of Old Bridge Township in Middlesex County decorates his family’s Central Avenue home every year with dazzling lights, drawing hordes of gawkers to the block during the holiday season.
But this year, the intricate 350,000-light Christmas display — complete with synchronized music — is in danger of being shut down by the town unless Apruzzi coughs up $2,000-per-night to the local police department for security on the street, he claims.
“It’s utterly ridiculous,” Apruzzi told The Post Wednesday. “It’s someone trying to do something nice for people and they try to shut you down for it.”
At a meeting Monday with the chief of the Old Bridge Township Police Department and Old Bridge Mayor Owen Henry, Apruzzi and his wife, Kris, were told they will “be required to pay at least $2,000-a-day in police [security] and you’re also going to have to pay for shuttle bus service for all of the people that are going to come to the display,” Apruzzi said.
Officials also alluded that if he doesn’t pay up, it will be lights out for his extravagant light show, he said.
“Me and my wife were almost speechless. We were like, ‘What the hell did you just say?’” said Apruzzi, noting that the couple then “walked out” of the meeting.
The Christmas lover said he won’t back down without a fight.
Thomas ApruzziSteve White“This is a bunch of baloney,” Apruzzi griped. “My light show is going to continue. I’m not going to get shut down for no one. This is my First Amendment right…I’m a catholic. I’m very into Christmas. I love Christmas.”
Apruzzi accused the mayor of “trying to play dirty politics.”
“They were pretty much trying to strong-arm us,” he said.
Apruzzi says that he plans to carry on with holiday light show for 23 days from Dec. 1 to Jan. 1 regardless.
“I can’t afford to take [the money] out of my own pocket,” Apruzzi said. “It’ll come out to up to $80,000 for me to put of Christmas lights. Do you believe that?”
Apruzzi’s light show has been featured on ABC’s “Great Christmas Light Fight” and any donations he has made from the display he has donated to charities like the Home For Our Troops.
“I love Christmas. I love everything about it,” he said. “At this time of year you have shootings, you have suicides and you try to make people help and they try to put you down.”
The mayor’s office directed all inquiries on the matter to the Old Bridge Township Police Department, which did not immediately return requests for comment.
