CHARLESTON — It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go.

Take a look at the corner of Maybank Highway and River Road on Johns Island aglow.

The city recently installed a lighted display at the busy intersection as part of an effort to spread holiday cheer beyond the peninsula. The sign even has a bit of Charleston flare — a twinkling pineapple has replaced the O to spell out “joy.”

This year’s holiday budget got a nearly $47,000 boost from City Council, nearly doubling the $60,000 already allocated, according to figures provided by the city. Council members pledged unspent travel and administrative funds that account for just .03 percent of the city’s nearly $350 million annual spending plan.

“There's just a big need for a sense of community on Johns Island, which

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