The Uptown Improvement Association is in the Christmas spirit.

After purchasing blue banners recently to adorn the streets in the village, the association has turned its attention to the Christmas season.

In particular, the Uptown Improvement Association is looking to purchase LED snowflakes to replace the holiday wreaths that the village has used for many years.

“This year when the wreaths were removed, it was noticed that they were in dire need of replacing,” said Roseann Marchetti, a board member of the association. “The UIA is planning to take on the replacement of holiday decorations as a new project.”

After speaking with business owners and village officials and doing research via telephone and online, the association has settled on LED snowflakes from Holiday Designs in Gainesville, Georgia.

“We have come up with the idea of purchasing LED snowflakes, which would be attached to various poles on U.S. Highway 12, Michigan 62 and a number of side streets — Cassopolis and Lake streets, for example,” Marchetti said. “LED lights are mostly maintenance free and the lights we are looking at are 4 feet in diameter, on steel frames, are good for 60,000 hours and the LED is warranted for one year.

“These new holiday decorations will help make our community bright and festive. Holiday Designs has a sale on the lights and we would like to place an order before the sale ends.”

LED lights are more costly than an incandescent light, but in the long-run they will be more economical as they last longer and use less energy.

Each light will cost $309, which includes shipping.

The Uptown Improvement Association is donating $1,000 toward the project.

The group is looking for additional donations for the project.

Donations would need to be received by April 15 in order for the UIA to place an order for lights to install this year.

“For the first holiday season, 20 lights would be ideal and we could plan to add more the following season,” Marchetti said.

Donation forms are available at the Ontwa Township Hall. Donations may be mailed to Meryl Christensen at P.O. Box 209 Edwardsburg MI 49112 or dropped off at the township hall.