For the last nine years Joe Matibag, a 58-year-old maintenance mechanic at the Phelps Memorial Hospital, has been spreading holiday cheer throughout Yorktown as he puts on a lights show tuned to his six favorite Christmas songs.
His love for Christmas began as a young boy growing up in the Philippines.
"I used to watch my father climb on the roof and put up the big lights and I said 'one day I'll do this when I grow up and have my own family,'" Matibag told Patch.
His Timberlane Court home, located off Curry Street, is decked out with 50,000 LED lights in the shape of stars, Christmas trees, Santa on his sleigh, a Nutcracker soldier and more. Once you drive up, tune to 88.5 FM in your car and enjoy the show.
Matibag, who is also a DJ as part of a hobby, used mini lights that act as lasers to give the illusion of fireflies on the trees.
"I love it when everything is turned off and all you see is the fireflies in the sky," he said.
This year, Matibag's show is the most colorful one yet, but he already has plans to add more lights next year. Every year he starts preparing in September and it takes him three to four weeks to get all the lights ready.
He has lived in Yorktown with his wife Jossie, a nurse, for the last 24 years. Their children Joanne, 28, and Philipe, 24, both graduated from Lakeland High School.
Matibag, who dressed up as Santa this year and gives out candy canes to anyone who stops to enjoy his lights show, said he misses his children and remembers how much they loved the traditions when they were young.
As people slowed down Timberlane Court and tuned to 88.5 FM to enjoy Matibag's Christmas light show, he gave out candy canes in his Santa suit and watched them smile.
"When I see that smile...that makes me want to cry [from happiness]," he said. "It's a great feeling."
You can catch Matibag's lights show at Timberlane Court every day from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. until Jan. 6, 2014.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
