Find Your Christmas Spirit at the Drive-Thru Christmas on Merry Lane

   It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas across DEC's service territory, especially at the Drive-Thru Christmas on Merry Lane lights display in Seaford! For over 25 years, this seasonal spectacle was owned and operated by Kenna Nethken, owner of "Cut'em Up Tree Care." After experiencing health issues in 2022 that prevented him from continuing to oversee the display, Nethken began the search to find someone new to take the reins. He found her in Co-op member Elizabeth Barczak, who saw Nethken's call for new leadership on a local newscast.
   "Our family had been going to the "Cut 'Em Up Tree Care" lights display for fifteen years, since my oldest son was little," Barczak says. "When I saw the video saying they were looking for someone to take it on, I was actually looking out the window towards our lane, and I thought 'Oh, we could completely do this!'" 
   The display, renamed the Drive-Thru Christmas on Merry Lane, is now located on the grounds of Mid-Atlantic Services A-Team Corp — owned and operated by Barczak's parents, Michael and Rosemary Everton — just a mile from its original location. Her parents, as well as several other members of Barczak's family and many of her friends, make up the majority of the volunteers required to organize and run this magical event. From initial planning which takes place in early summer to decoration setup which begins in October, all the way to opening night, Merry Lane is truly a labor of love. For Barczak, Christmas is all about slowing down and being in the moment with those who matter most. While putting on an event like Merry Lane adds an element of holiday hecticness to the season, she says that it has also created a new avenue to bring those she loves together for a good cause.
   "Merry Lane is such a simple thing to enjoy during the holidays. It's free, you can drive through and it's so special," Barczak says. "As a family, it's an opportunity for us and our kids to create and be a part of something that can be enjoyed by everyone in the community."
   The Drive-Thru Christmas on Merry Lane is opened Thursday through Sunday from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. While admission is free, donations are welcomed and go towards supporting the Seaford Kiwanis Club, Hero's Haven, and other local nonprofit organizations in the community. Visitors may also donate items for Merry Lane's "Stuff the Sleigh" initiative, which helps a variety of local causes during the holiday season. Visit the Drive-Thru Christmas on Merry Lane Facebook page for information on this year's featured causes, the dates Santa will be on-site and other fun and festivities!