‘We knew a lot of people make donations to charities at Christmas houses, so we decided to have Frosty help get donations for Make-A-Wish.’

Plainview

“My family has lived at 33 Jamaica Ave. in Plainview for 30 years. We have been decorating our house for Christmas for a long time, and we keep adding more to it. In 2014, Newsday posted a story online about a person in Muttontown who had a big Frosty the Snowman, and he was looking for a home for it because he was downsizing. We sent him an email from ‘the characters on our front lawn’ saying they’d love to have Frosty join them! The search for Frosty’s new home was narrowed to 60 people. That June, we went by his house in our Christmas outfits, took pictures in front of Frosty, and sent his owner the pictures. He chose us over the Town of Oyster Bay and Bayville Scream Park, who also wanted Frosty! The only condition he gave it to us under was that we don’t sell Frosty. Frosty was special to his family, and he liked that he was going to another family that would take care of him.

That was the only time I thought I might not make it, like this disease was going to take my whole family away.

“When we got Frosty, he was in bad shape. We had to redo the fiberglass and repair the outside. We found out that Frosty was in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1960 to 1972. He was auctioned off at Christie’s, which is how he came to Muttontown. We knew a lot of people make donations to charities at Christmas houses, so we decided to have Frosty help get donations for Make-A-Wish. We knew this is one thing we can do for kids facing problems. We didn’t realize it, but when you donate enough to Make-A-Wish, you get letters from children who have been granted wishes. We have a lot of fun with Frosty and the people who come to see him, but when you get the letters, you realize you really did something special. One little girl went to Disney, and she sent us pictures from her first plane ride. Another kid got to be a policeman for a day. We got a letter and picture from him. It touches your heart and you know you’re doing good.

“Frosty comes out at our house on Thanksgiving. Getting him up and running with all of our decorations takes three eight-hour days. This year, my son was Santa Claus and gave out candy canes. Little kids love seeing Frosty because he looks even bigger in their eyes. We get teenage girls that come and take selfies at all kinds of hours. It’s so cute to watch.”