LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Most of us have been carving pumpkins and getting ready to hand out trick or treat candy. But it's Christmas time in Scottsburg, Ind., — at least for one family.
It's already the season for giving at the home of Daniel Dicken, also known as "The Christmas Dude."
If you love the "Griswold Family Christmas," you'll understand the inspiration behind his home. Twinkling lights are up weeks before Christmas just like they have been for years.
"Mom would kind of get aggravated with me because I'd want to get the tree up at the end of September or first part of October," Dicken said, smiling in his red hoodie dotted with snowmen and Santa Clause. "I'm a kid at heart, and I love the lights. I love Christmas time. It's my favorite holiday."
And when you do this every year — weeks before Halloween — you get a nickname. "If I go out and about Walmart or wherever, and somebody sees me, usually they don't greet me, 'How ya doing Daniel.' It's usually, 'How you doing, Christmas Dude.' It's kinda comical, but I enjoy it."
For Dicken, Christmas is truly about giving. "It's not about receiving gifts. Sure, it's great, but what can you do to give to somebody else that don't have something."
"The Christmas Dude" uses his Facebook page of the same name to get the word out about helping others. His message is to ask people to donate to help needy families with non-perishable food items, stuffed animals and toys.
"And there's a lot of them (followers) that's really starting to give, and that does my heart good," Dicken said with a smile.
There's plenty of time to give: He has the countdown clock outside his house letting everyone know how many days until Christmas.
Dicken's display of lights and ornaments keeps growing because people have started donating to him, too. "I'm a country boy raised in Switzerland County, so I love my country Christmas!"
What "The Christmas Dude" really wants is for people to go to his Facebook page and help donate to needy families. He will even come to you to pick up donations.
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