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Bethel Park resident puts Halloween spin on Christmas display

By Jon Andreassi staff Writer jandreassi@observer-Reporter.Com 1 min read
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Jon Andreassi/The Almanac

Jeff Counihan repurposed Halloween decorations for Christmas, such as this grim reaper now standing in as the Ghost of Christmas Future.

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Photos: Jon Andreassi/The Almanac

This spooky skeleton is now dressed as Clark Griswold in a familiar scene from National Lampoon’s “Christmas Vacation.”

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Jon Andreassi/The Almanac

Jeff Counihan used an impressive Halloween display to raise $1,000 for charity, though he is not collecting donations for Christmas.

Rather than put all his Halloween decorations in storage, Jeff Counihan found clever ways to repurpose them for Christmas.

Behind a “Welcome to Bedford Falls” sign, passersby will notice a giant grim reaper, who has been recast as the Ghost of Christmas Future, looming over the grave of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Others may pick up on the reference to National Lampoon’s “Christmas Vacation” with the skeleton dressed as Clark Griswold trying (and failing) to put up the lights.

Counihan, who lives along Wilson Drive in Bethel Park, also recycled material from Halloween decorations to build something else, such as the manger for a Nativity scene.

“I made a witch house this year that the witches were in on the driveway. I cut that down and used that for the stable,” Counihan said.

Though there is no donation drive attached to the Christmas display, Counihan said he managed to raise $1,000 from his Halloween decorations, an increase from the $400 he raised the prior year.

During October, he had a drop box for donations to raise money for both the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. Counihan was able to donate $500 to each organization.

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