Montville ― The winner of this year’s annual Holiday Light Contest received an appropriate prize.

A month of free electricity, donated by Signature Properties of New England.

Twenty-four homeowners had dressed their homes up for the holidays, with thousands of energy-sucking lights and inflatable characters. In addition, winners of four categories picked up a $50 check and a plaque.

But in the true spirit of Christmas, residents claimed they weren’t after the money. The lawns brimming with decorations were meant to bring joy to their fellow neighbors and those who came by car to see them.

Rose Bunnell of 247 Maple Ave., the winner of the Total Griswold category which is a reference to the movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” said her display started off small but has gotten bigger each year.

“We’ve always had a big family, so Christmas has always been a big thing,” added her daughter Tricia.

Bunnell’s large front lawn, decorated with Nutcracker soldiers, a Nativity scene and snowmen, took about a week’s worth of work to set up. But there’s no flashing lights.

“I’m not into the blinky,” she said, her facing scrunching up with disgust over the thought of the flashing lights. “I’m not a blinky girl.”

Bunnell said she enjoys seeing the people stop to view the family display, and already has plans for how she can wow them in the future.

“I already have things in my head for next year. We’re not even through Christmas,” she said. “I already know what we’re going to do for the garage next year.”

Randy Bouchey of 292 Black Ash Road took home first in the competition’s Winter Wonderland category.

“I didn’t even wanna win,” Bouchey resigned. “I just like to do it because it’s pretty cool, and at night even I’m amazed.”

Bouchey said he “started out with just a couple little floats and some lights, just like everybody else.”

In the center of his lawn, a 20-foot-tall figure of Jack Skellington from the movie “Nightmare Before Christmas” rested its arms on pillars of jack-o-lanterns and skulls. Next to a candy-cane lined driveway, a bushy-browed Jack Frost figure flashed a menacing grin at passersby, his arms outstretched to welcome visitors into the display.

“You name it and I put it out,” Bouchey said.

Rhonda DiMaggio of 29 Vermont Drive didn’t waste an inch of space in her smaller yard, which was packed with 25 to 30 inflatables, her 13-year-old son Hayden’s favorite decorations.

At night, the yard lit up into a crowded circus of string lights, dinosaurs and skeletons putting up the Christmas tree.

“When we moved here in 2014, I only had a few inflatables and a few lights,” she said, laughing. “And now it’s ― what we got now.”

DiMaggio said year she also started making things for the display that she saw on the social media app TikTok. She made cupcakes and hot cocoa mugs out of spray foam, paint and jewel beads, and lollipops out of pool noodles and duct tape.

DiMaggio said she makes a written plan showing where to place her decorations. Then it takes about four to five weeks to set them up, she said.

Though her home did not take home any awards this year, Dimaggio said she decorates more to bring a smile to her son’s face.

“It’s like a labor of love just to make my son happy every time the lights go on,” she said.

d.drainville@theday.com