The Carpenter family’s Christmas light display illuminates U.S. 52 West in Ripley, Ohio, drawing the attention of passing drivers and spreading holiday cheer throughout the season. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)
By Ryan Applegate
People’s Defender
For many drivers traveling along U.S. 52 West through Ripley after dark, the Christmas season announces itself not with a calendar date but with a glow of lights rising from one home along the highway. The display belongs to Mark Carpenter, editor and sports editor of The People’s Defender (and his wife Aimee), a familiar name to Adams County readers and a familiar sight to holiday travelers who slow down just a little to take it all in.
Carpenter’s Christmas light display did not begin as a spectacle meant to draw attention. Like many traditions, it started simply, rooted in family and the desire to make the season special for his children. “We’ve always put up Christmas lights because of our kids,” Carpenter said. “But we stepped it up a couple of years ago when a group in the village began a lights contest.”
That friendly competition pushed the Carpenters to add more lights, more detail and more effort each year. We haven’t won first prize,” he said, adding that the recognition from passing drivers, community members and Aimee’s students, means far more than a check ever could.
Although Carpenter does not live in Adams County, his work has made him an integral part of the community for well over a decade. He has covered sports for all Adams County schools since 2010, faithfully reporting on Friday night football games, tournament runs, heartbreak losses and championship celebrations. In 2017, he became editor of The People’s Defender, taking on the responsibility of guiding the paper while continuing to tell the stories of the county he serves.
“I don’t know how many Adams County residents know where we live,” Carpenter said, “but I know some do and hopefully they have driven down U.S. 52 and checked us out.”
Putting the display together is no small task. Carpenter said the process usually begins around Thanksgiving, weather permitting. “If we get a semi-warm day around Thanksgiving we try to hang the overhead lights,” he said. “Lots of folks drive by and see me up on the ladder.”
The work is spread out over several days rather than tackled all at once, sometimes under less than ideal conditions. Over the years, neighbors and passersby have seen Carpenter working in rain, snow and cold. Just weeks ago, after a heavy snowfall, parts of the display went dark. “Some of our lights went out and I was out there in the snow looking for the fix,” he said.
Despite the effort, the Carpenters chose not to enter the village light contest this year. The reason was simple. “All of the people who see us and tell us that our lights are ‘Amazing’ or ‘Beautiful’ makes it worthwhile to us,” Carpenter said. “I wish everyone would decorate their homes.”
Each year’s display looks familiar, but Carpenter is always thinking ahead. He said they watch for after Christmas sales to find new pieces for the following season. Bigger ideas remain on hold, particularly plans to expand the lights on the dormers and roof. A fall from the roof several years ago serves as a reminder that some traditions require caution as well as creativity.
Keeping the display running has been a challenge this year. Breakers have blown and outlets have been overloaded, but Carpenter said everything is currently working. The lights are shut off during the day to keep the electric bill from climbing even higher, then switched on again after dark, when the display can be fully appreciated.
For Carpenter, the lights carry a deeper meaning beyond tradition and decoration. He lost his mother five years ago, and Christmas has never been quite the same. “I think in some way that the lights I put out are a little bit of a tribute to her,” he said. “I miss her Christmas dinners and I know she would have loved the light display.”
That sense of remembrance and gratitude is woven into the glow that fills the yard each December. It mirrors the care Carpenter brings to his work as an editor and sports writer, documenting the moments that matter to Adams County families year after year.
As Christmas approaches, Carpenter has a simple invitation for anyone traveling the highway or staying close to home. “If you are driving down U.S. 52 West through Ripley, hopefully you will notice our display after dark,” he said. “Get in your car and drive around wherever you live and admire all the displays and get a little bit more of that Christmas spirit.”
In a season defined by light overcoming darkness, the Carpenter family display stands as a reminder that the brightest traditions are built on family, memory and a genuine love for the community.
