Christmas Eve was inspirational at Rick Newman’s holiday light and sound show in Old Floresta, as he and the “hot chocolate girls” presented a check of their proceeds so far to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

    A crowd watched the handoff at 8 p.m., as snow from the light show drifted over the driveway. Shelley Nachum, a Make-A-Wish volunteer, accepted a check for $1,123.76 from the kids who are out there selling hot chocolate and sweets. She gave thank-you plaques to Madison Bearden, Rachel Elander and Lauren Wulf.

    “The average cost to grant a wish is $5,000 and Make-A-Wish pays for everything, Nachum said.

    County Commissioner Steven Abrams made brief remarks about Make-A-Wish, which grants wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

    Jeanne and Rick Newman have collection boxes for the charity posted at their home, where Rick, a former professional stage manager, creates elaborate light and sound shows for Halloween and Christmas.

    Both shows use their lawn on the corner of Ninth Avenue and Seventh Street, [699 NW Ninth Ave.] and attract thousands of spectators every year. The holiday show stays up until Jan. 2 and features an artificial snow storm every few minutes between 6 and 11 p.m. if the winds are calm.

    On Christmas Eve, Patricia Godley played a Christmas elf for the second year, handing out candy canes and posing for photos in a red sleigh.

    “I’m from Boynton, but my grandmother lives in Boca, and Rick presented the idea when I came to see the show,” she said. “I love it.”

    Abrams said he and his wife Debbie and family were attending a holiday party in the neighborhood, and they arrived with a lovely entourage of their daughter Margaret’s friends.