“My dad used to put up lights [when I was] a kid,” Maywald said. “After a few years, when I was 9, my dad decided he didn’t want to do it. So I got on the ladder and put them up, and every year I just started adding more stuff.”
Every night until Dec. 28 from 6-10 p.m. the Maywalds invite the public to their property in South Austin to experience the display of over 300,000 lights and encourage donations to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Last year, the Maywalds raised over $80,000 for the foundation from the light display and have totaled approximately $200,000 in the past seven years.
“Last year we granted 10 wishes,” Maywald said.
As part of the display, a large Make-A-Wish sign sits in the foreground of a pond of blue lights where 10 reindeer fly over, representing the wishes granted last year.
“The stars on the arches represent the 27 total wishes,” Maywald said.
The decision to donate to a charity was made eight years ago, and since then the Maywalds have gotten the opportunity to meet the children they have helped grant wishes for.
While the first year of collecting donations only amounted to around $250, that number increased as interest in the display did, too. In 2019, the Maywald Christmas Display competed on ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight” and won. The Maywalds were awarded a trophy, a money prize and more visitors to the display each year.
Maywald begins working on the display in the summer and strives to add more to it each year.
“It’s my drive,” Maywald said. “I love to do it.”
The display runs every night from 6-10 p.m. and this year will have its final day on Dec. 28. Cost: Make-A-Wish donation. Address: 10505 Twilight Vista, Austin. www.maywaldchristmasdisplay.weebly.com.
