One Seattle home is literally bursting with Christmas spirit. The family’s Christmas tree goes through the roof or so it seems. Patrick Kruger and his wife spent nine hours creating the illusion. They cut off the tree top and attached it to the roof using plywood, sheathing and spare roofing tile. Unfortunately, it wasn’t secured and blew over. He had to redo it without the help of his weary wife but was worth it as far the neighbors are concerned.
“The kids line up in front of the house and look at it and bring their friends by and go right up to the window to see how did it go through the roof,” Kruger told ABCNews.com.
Kruger says he’s a big fan of the movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, in which the Griswolds squeeze a giant tree into their living room. He even has a custom license plate that reads “GRSWLDS.”
His real inspiration though was likely one of the many of similar stunts from previous Christmases. The first and largest of which was in Bournemouth, England back in 2008. Greig Howe wanted to impress his kids after getting a tree not much larger them the year before. He spent £250 ($400) on a 35-foot fir and decorated it with 160 ornaments and 2,000 LED lights. They loved it so much he did it again the following year. The idea caught on across the pond and was replicated in 2010 and 2011 by homeowners in Illinois and Oregon, respectively.
This worldwide tradition isn’t likely to end any time soon.
“I think we’ll definitely do it again next year,” Kruger said. “We’ve had a really great time doing it. And I don’t know what we’ll do to top it.”
