JOPLIN, Mo. — One Joplin resident who happens to be a big fan of the Christmas season, took a different approach when it came to decorating for the holiday.
In Dustin Molinaro’s front yard, you’ll find plenty of Christmas decorations, but they’re slightly older than what you might be use to seeing. Walking up to his home, you’ll find more than 200 “blow mold” style Christmas yard decorations.
His collection started over 20 years ago, when his grandparents handed down some of their vintage Christmas decorations. Since then, Molinaro searches garage sales, markets, eBay, and the Facebook Marketplace where he’s finds the old fashioned decorations.
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This year, Molinaro began putting up the unique Christmas figures just after Halloween, and spent the entire month of November placing them in just the right spot.
“It’s kind of just like my Christmas tradition at this point. Starting off when I was eight, getting my first ones, every time I would see them in someone’s yard it just brings a smile to my face because that’s what I grew up with, so it’s just really my family tradition,” said Dustin Molinaro.
Molinaro says his neighbors love the Christmas set-up. Because of the display, traffic near his home (located near West 16th Street and Murphy Avenue in Joplin) increases each night as drivers slowly pass by to get a glimpse of the special Christmas collection.