The holiday light display at 8 Timber Drive in Ocean is designed and implemented by Shane MacCary. It takes him weeks to install and program more than 80,000 bulbs.
By RICHARD VIRGILIO
You can’t help but travel through Timber Drive in Ocean Township and be pleasantly shocked by the holiday spirit.
Ever since the 25 year-old Shane MacCary was a child he loved Christmas lights. The decorated Grizwald home in the film “Christmas Vacation” would literally make him light up. Then,10 years ago he began decorating his family home.
Inspired by the film, and even moreso the joyful childhood memories of driving around with his parents looking at holiday light displays, every December MacCary spends weeks turning their property into a holiday light show wonderland.
“I started with lights on bushes and some other basic stuff and then it got more extravagant,” said MacCary, an electrician. “This year, we will have more than 80,000 bulbs, and multiple animated displays. I try and outdo myself every year by adding some new things and retiring others.”
From falling lightcicles 20 feet high in the trees framing the house, to a variety of animated holiday figures on the lawn and rooftop Santa scenes, the entire display is precisely synchronized to contemporary and classic holiday music via a computer program.
“The programming aspect of the music to the lights takes the most time,” MacCary said. “Each song takes four hours to synchronize with the lights and the display rotates through at least eight songs.”
The award-winning display has become a labor of love for MacCary, who designs, builds and puts away the entire display. Using a mix of 70 percent LED lights and 30 percent incandescent keeps the electric bill in check.
“With the world we live in today everything is so fast-paced people just don’t have time to do-up their houses for Christmas with lots of lights anymore,” MacCary said. “I’m glad people can come here and sit and celebrate something festive. It makes me feel good to see people happy and enjoying the display. I really love seeing the kids faces as they take in the whole view.”
The MacCary light display at 8 Timber Drive in Ocean is on Sunday to Thursday from approximately 5 pm to 10 pm and Friday and Saturday until 11 pm, weather permitting.
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