Award-winning New Jersey Christmas light display vandalized twice in a week

A heartless Scrooge really has it in for one New Jersey family.

An award-winning Christmas light display at a Jersey City home has been vandalized twice in the past week — and has threatened to kill the holiday spirit in the Garden State neighborhood.

“I never thought somebody would try to cut the lights, because they made everybody happy,” homeowner Edward Roman lamented. “I never had a complaint.”

Roman and his husband, Anthony, take several weeks each year to decorate their home on New York Avenue in Jersey City with an ornate LED light display. Progress on this year’s installation was delayed, however, when a Grinch cut the lights last Tuesday night.

“My husband went to work around 5:30, 6 [a.m.], and noticed our gate open,” Edward explained to The Post on Tuesday. “I had the lights on a timer, and they did not turn on on Wednesday.”

Just a few days later he went outside to find the wires cut a second time.

He said that the constant vandalism almost broke his Christmas spirit, but in a holiday miracle straight from a movie, the support of his neighbors prompted him to go on.

Vandals have been cutting the Christmas lights on 413 New York Ave. in Jersey City
An award-winning Christmas light display at a Jersey City home has been vandalized twice in the past week.
Michael Dempsey/The Jersey Journal

“I was just going to give up,” he said. “But then I was outside and the neighbors started talking to me. The lady next door was crying, ‘I love these lights, they make my grandkids so happy.’ Another neighbor across the street offered me her security camera for free.

“I never knew that so many people like the lights, or appreciated it.”

Roman said he and his husband started the annual decoration project in 2019, the year they were married, but took their efforts to a new level after COVID. 

“We thought, ‘let’s just go bigger,’ because everybody was so lonely, because they had to spend the holidays by themselves,” he remembered. The couple has since won the Hudson Media Group Best Christmas Decorated Home Contest three years in a row.

Vandals have been cutting the Christmas lights on 413 New York Ave. in Jersey City
Progress on this year’s installation was delayed because of the vandalism.
Michael Dempsey/The Jersey Journal

Roman does not think the vandal is related to the competition. “I don’t have any bad blood with anyone,” he said. “Three houses win every year.”

A GoFundMe set up by one of the couple’s friends to help them replace the lights — some of which cost upwards of $300 — quickly surpassed its $1,000 goal. Roman said he plans to use the extra donations to help people who don’t have Christmas lights of their own.

“I’m donating my older lights to people,” he explained. “I tell everybody ‘Hey, people don’t like Christmas, they don’t like these lights, you put up lights, too!’” 

Now equipped with a security camera that was installed Monday, Roman is determined to go “bigger and better” this holiday season. The culprit(s) remains unidentified, but he rests easy knowing he has the support of law enforcement as well.

Vandals have been cutting the Christmas lights on 413 New York Ave. in Jersey City
The annual home decoration project started in 2019.
Michael Dempsey/The Jersey Journal

“The police response has been amazing,” he said. “They followed up with me on Monday, and I met a detective in person [on Tuesday]. They’ve gone above and beyond for me.”

While Roman regretted the vandal putting a hitch in his decorating plans, he vowed that everything would be ready after Thanksgiving.

“By Dec. 1, the music will be blaring and the lights will be up,” he declared. “If you didn’t like [the display] at first, you’re not going to like it now.”

To the vandals, Roman had just one message. “You can keep trying, but you’re not going to stop Christmas,” he said. “Not this year!”

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