NJ’s Martel’s Christmas Wonderland displays vulgar political signs

HAMILTON (Mercer) — New Jersey’s famous family Christmas home is attracting off-season attention for putting up flags and political signs with obscenities and vulgarities.

Martel’s Christmas Wonderland gained national recognition when it won ABC “Great Christmas Light Fightin 2020. But people from across the Garden State have been visiting Hamilton’s famous party house for more than three decades.

Recently, photos of the house with different decorations have been posted on several Facebook groups. The Martel family had displayed flags and political signs with obscenities and vulgarities.

The original post, which has since been deleted, complained about the “bland visuals” of a sign and called on people not to promote or visit Martel’s this coming Christmas.

“It’s one thing to post signs in support of any candidate you choose on your property, but none of these signs and flags do that,” the post said. “These are openly hostile, obscene, rude and offensive.”

A flag displayed “F**k Biden” and a sign depicted former President Trump urinating on Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi’s name. Another sign implicitly called Vice President Kamala Harris a “hoe.”

Jeff Edelstein, a columnist for the Trentonian and replacement talk show host for New Jersey 101.5, first wrote about Facebook’s “war” in a Trentonian column. Edelstein lamented the pervasiveness of politics in society and called for peace.

“I guess in my perfect little Nirvana, we’re all moving on and not letting politics ruin the day,” Edelstein wrote. “Although it may already be.”

“I may be done,” Bob Martel told the columnist. “I don’t need people coming to my house to protest.”

His daughter, Christina Martel, called Deminski & Doyle on Thursday and said her family had been harassed and “stalked” for the messages. She said some neighbors “wearing wigs” were walking down their street to take more photos.

“It’s the property of my parents. They have the right, like everyone else, to have their opinion on the people they vote for,” said Christina Martel. “If they don’t like it, don’t watch.”

Most of the flags and signs have since been removed except for one calling for Biden to be impeached. They have been replaced by a single sign without profanity.

A GoFundMe supporting Martel, said the family was “attacked from the left.”

“Now the left has taken offense that locals dared to put up a few anti-Biden signs and are trying to cancel the posting,” said Andrew Jiras, who created the fundraiser. “Please donate and help them make this year the best ever. Let’s cancel the left!”

Rick Rickman is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at [email protected]

Click here to contact an editor about a comment or correction for this story.