Ledyard’s holiday decorators are a modest bunch.

Dan Troy, who decorated his house at 548 Pumpkin Hill Road, said he didn’t know about Ledyard’s first home decorating contest until his wife signed him up, but it doesn’t change the way he’s been stringing lights for 25 years.

“I don’t even think about it,” Troy said of the contest. It’s mostly for neighbors and friends, he said, who tell him they look forward to it every holiday season.

Nevertheless, he’ll have some competition this year, as 31 houses in Ledyard and Gales Ferry will compete in contest categories that include “The Chevy Chase Award,” named after the extreme display in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” as well as “The House Beautiful Award and “The Innovative Ideas Award.” Judges are  Merry Biehl Cassabria, Bev Nachtwey, and Jessica Helton Wrobel.

Bruce Hall’s house at 1882 Center Groton Road is set off the road a ways, but he says the red, blue and green lights glow through the trees attract quite a few passersby. A glowing five-foot tall polar bear greats visitors on the driveway. Hall and his wife have decorated a trailer for Ledyard’s Light parade in the past, but diverted much of his attention onto the house after she signed him up for the contest. 

“I lost count, there are so many of them,” Hall said about the strings of lights draped over trees and railings.

Maureen Reubelt said her son Brian, who is in his twenties, “probably began when he was 10” decorating their home at 14 Ridge Road. He has added some new amenities in recent years, including an inflatable polar bear in a green sweater and flashing lights coordinated through a program called “Lightorama.” Nearby, Jenn Hanner of 7 Chapman Lane had lined the trim of her house with lights and the walk to her front door with candy canes, and said they have plenty more to do.

So does Hall, who estimated he’s spent between 16 and 18 hours putting up the lights and has hours of work left. His grandson Levi, who turned 2 this month, is delighted by the display, he says, and that’s the only judge Hall needs to please.

“I’m kind of doing it for him,” Hall said.

A full listing of the houses involved in the competition can be found here.

n.lynch@theday.com

Twitter: @_nathanlynch