PINE GROVE — For as long as many folks can remember, Ernest “Chops” Russell has been making the holidays a little merrier and much, much brighter for his family and his neighbors.

This year was no exception, even though, by his own admission, Russell just isn’t getting around quite like he used to.

Each winter for more than 30 years, Russell transforms his State Route 650 home into a winter wonderland, complete with a nativity, a huge Santa Claus, a sleigh full of presents pulled by reindeer and Christmas lights — lots and lots of Christmas light.

“I do it for the kids,” said the 77-year-old “Chops.” “Especially these two right here,” He gestures toward Amber and Katelyn Davis, who are his neighbors. Each year their father, Dennis Davis, brings them down the road so they can enjoy a little of “Chops” Russell’s magic.

“It’s pretty,” 5-year-old Amber Davis said.

As it turns out, both the little kids and the big kids enjoy seeing the holiday display.

“People come through here and they stop and sit there and look and then they pull up a piece and stop again,” his wife, Betty said.

Perhaps it is the candy canes, neatly spaced along Russell’s fence, that has caught their attention. Perhaps it is the toy soldiers standing at attention near his sidewalk. Or maybe it is the Christmas lights hung in the shape of a tree at the side of his porch that has piqued their fancy.

There is plenty to see.

Betty Russell said her favorite is the nativity. “Chops” said that would probably be his favorite, too. Katelyn Davis was too bashful to say what her favorite was but her dad said she seems to always like those reindeer.

It takes several weeks to get those decorations out and in the yard in the right place and a couple weeks too, after Christmas, to take them down and put them away.

“He doesn’t have them all up this year,” his son, Michael said. “He didn’t feel like it.”

Ill health may have forced Russell to cut back a bit on his display, but Davis said it is still a high point in his children’s holiday.

“Every year,” he said. “I drive them down the road and we stop and turn around, so they can see the lights.”

The Dart is a weekly feature in which a reporter throws a dart at a map of Lawrence County and finds a story where it hits.