Encore Episode: The Untold Story Behind New York’s Most Iconic Christmas Displays

We’re bringing back one of the most-loved episodes of I Live Here Westchester — a deep dive into the story, scale, and spirit behind American Christmas, the powerhouse responsible for some of the most iconic holiday displays in New York City.

In this encore conversation, CEO Dan Casterella takes us behind the scenes of a business that operates year-round to deliver joy in a matter of hours. We go from 50-foot engineered trees to 450 overnight Manhattan installs, global supply chain challenges, patents you’ll never see, and the incredible community impact happening right here in Westchester.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• How American Christmas grew from a Bronx plant shop into a national holiday leader
• What it’s really like to start as a 19-year-old seasonal worker and eventually run the company
• The post-9/11, 2012, and 2020 turning points that reshaped the business
• How designs go from rough concept to engineered installations sourced from multiple countries
• The overnight Manhattan transformation—hundreds of installs, 24/7 teams, zero margin for error
• The tech, materials, and quiet innovations driving modern holiday displays
• How Dan’s team manages a 12-month supply chain cycle for a 6-week installation sprint
• Why Mount Vernon became home base, and how the team shuttled workers from the Bronx daily
• The origins and impact of Holiday Lane, including its 100% give-back model for local charities
• The rise of Christmas in July, the booming Halloween market, and what other holidays are taking off
• How American Christmas is shaping seasonal joy far beyond December

Whether you’re a Westchester local, a holiday fanatic, or just love hearing how big ideas scale, this encore is worth a revisit.