During fall and winter nights, tens of thousands of lights come on along the rooftops of downtown Lansing, bringing some holiday sparkle to the community.
And there's one man or, as some would say, one elf who makes it all happen.
Up 15 floors, four flights of rickety metal stairs and out through a maintenance hatch on downtown Lansing’s Comerica Bank building, Edward White is setting a timer just like you might for a Christmas tree except with a lot more bulbs.
"The number is over 60,000 on the tops of the roofs, there's close to two and a half miles of lights," White said.
White’s been doing this job for the past 5 years with Summit Contractors, climbing up to the top of more than 100 downtown buildings and making sure everything will be ready ahead of Lansing’s kickoff to the holiday season: Silver Bells in the City.
He starts in September, and throughout the fall and winter, he ends up replacing about 15% of the bulbs every year that are faulty or burnt out.
And he’s doing it all in costume as Eddie the Elf.
The idea came after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of Silver Bells in 2020.
"I know it took a big chunk out of Lansing, and it took an even bigger chunk out of me, like my purpose for three months of my life was gone, at that point," he said.
So, the next year, he picked up a Buddy the Elf costume from the movie Elf and started giving out candy canes and stickers as he worked.
"I see a kid or a family walking the kid's jaw drops because there right there is an elf in downtown Lansing getting ready for Santa Claus," he said.
"I think that helps make it real for the kids and gives them a little Christmas spirit."
White says even if he meant to wear the costume for just the first year, he can’t stop now.
"I have to keep up this tradition, and to much of my helpers’ and apprentices’ dismays when they come to help me, I have extra elf outfits for them."
White says he’ll be out on a float for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 665 and the National Electrical Contractors Association Lansing Chapter in costume as Eddie the Elf during the Silver Bells Electric Light Parade, enjoying his work and the community he does it for.
