10 amazing Long Island holiday light displays

Those featured in this year’s LI Life Holiday Lights section create tradition and joy for other families all over Long Island, including many they will never meet.

And isn’t that what the season is all about?

I spent several days traveling across Nassau and Suffolk counties to find some of the best-decorated homes. Here are 10 of my favorites.

Be sure to visit newsday.com/lights to see an interactive map of all these locations and more.

—Vera Chinese, LI Life editor

18 Wichard Blvd., Commack

Family: Joseph Vaccaro and stepson Joseph Barragato

Lights on: Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. Santa will visit Dec. 20, from 7 to 9 p.m.

Lights out: Dec. 27

Love of light: A glittering feast for the eyes is jam-packed with inflatables, blow molds, homemade animatronics and such classic Christmas characters as toy soldiers, the Grinch and several Santas. Above the roof, Santa and his reindeer sleigh soar through the sky beneath a sparkling multicolored ball. In addition, there are “many secrets you can’t see from the street,” Barragato said. He encourages visitors to discover hidden gems by parking, walking up the driveway and taking photos.

How it started: When Barragato was a tot, his mom would stop the car so he could marvel at extravagantly decorated houses. “The lights would make me smile for days,” he recalls. Barragato said his first request to his stepdad, who came into his life when he was 4, was to put up Christmas lights. Since 2020, Barragato has been the official helper, making animatronics — his favorite holiday chore — and climbing on the roof to assemble and hoist Santa in the sky. “We never knew that this would become as big as it is,” Barragato said, adding, “We’re so happy it did because seeing the faces and smiles of the kids, adults and anyone that just passes by makes it all worth it.”

Holiday message: “It doesn’t matter how old you are,” Barragato said of seeing visitors of all ages having as much fun enjoying the display as he and his stepdad had in creating it. “The Christmas magic never fades if you don’t let it.”

Giving season: Barragato and Vaccaro are collecting cash donations onsite for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The display also includes a poster with a QR code to donate via Venmo.

— Jim Merritt

2509 Yale Place, Merrick

Family: Philip Heide with parents Karen and Lenny.

Lights on: Daily from 5 to 9:30 p.m.

Lights out: They begin dismantling the display the day after Christmas.

Love of light: To enjoy the Heide home in Merrick requires one to pause and slow down. But if a visitor takes the time to give the individual features their due (and there are hundreds of them), they are likely to be delighted. You will see one-of-a-kind objects that come to life at the push of a button, Christmas decor you didn’t know existed, like blow molds in the shape of Little Debbie Christmas Tree cakes, and nods to the past, such as Raggedy Andy and Woodstock from the Peanuts cartoons. The Heide family has been decorating since Karen and Lenny bought the home about 45 years ago, according to their son, Philip.

The display: It features more than 600 blow molds and over three dozen animatronics, including the “Radio City Music Hall Beatles bears,” who serenade onlookers. There is also a puppet theater from the late puppeteer Lou Nasti, who died earlier this year. “He was a visionary in the world of Christmas animation,” Heide said. ”The marionettes move to the music of Billy Joel, my favorite, and is narrated by Lou himself.”

Starting early: The arrays take a full month to install, Heide said. They began setting up Nov. 1, as soon as they take down the Halloween decorations (they also decorate for Easter and Valentine’s Day).

The best part: Heide said he loves to see the “kids from 1 to 92,” as the old song goes, enjoy his family’s home. “Personally, I love watching older people look at our display and seeing them smile,” he said. “I know that they’re remembering what Christmas was like for them growing up as a child. You see them transported back into time.”

Giving season: The Heides are accepting pet items and cash donations for the nonprofit Bobbi & the Strays animal rescue group.

— Vera Chinese

4 Blossom Ave., Holtsville

Family: Heather Nardella, Michael Nardella and their children Angela, 8, from left, Abagail, 4, and Hailey, 6.

Lights on: Daily from 5 to 10 p.m.

Lights out: Dec. 28

Love of light: Michael Nardella said he grew up helping his father decorate his family home and has been decking out his Holtsville abode since 2015. “When I bought my own home, the tradition naturally came with me, and each year I try to make the display more magical,” he said.

The Nardella array ranges from brand-new pieces to beloved vintage decorations, he said. There are large items, like a 20-foot inflatable snowman, and animated elements including an elf running a toy factory conveyor belt. It’s a walk-through experience built around a large carport frame decked with lights and festive features. “I encourage visitors to stroll along the guided path to fully enjoy the magic,” Nardella said. A giant inflatable teddy bear greets guests with big hugs at the entrance (it will wrap its arms around you when you move in). Many eye-catching items either twinkle or move to enhance the experience, and several pieces play Christmas tunes.

The hardest part? “Finding the time to complete the setup,” Nardella said. “With a busy schedule and three children, carving out the hours to put everything together each year can be a real challenge.”

And the best part? Nardella loves the carport frame. “Standing beneath it and looking up, down, left and right and seeing so many lights and festive surprises is an amazing feeling,” he said.

What is your holiday message? Nardella said he and his family love the Christmas season, particularly welcoming visitors and handing out candy canes. He said he wants others to remember what Christmas is truly about. “In a time when negative news can feel overwhelming, Christmas reminds us of joy and happiness,” Nardella said. “It’s a season when wishes and dreams can feel possible again — a time when we can all be kids at heart.”

Giving season: The Nardellas are collecting donations for the Marty Lyons Foundation, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. There is a QR code onsite or you can text LIGHTS36 to 91999.

— Vera Chinese

2 Norfolk Lane, Bethpage

Family: John Fitzpatrick, his son James, and John’s wife, Anna.

Lights on: Daily from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Lights out: Jan. 4

Something the neighborhood hadn’t seen before: The Fitzpatrick family’s son James, an aspiring filmmaker, combines his visual effects and editing background with his family’s love of seasonal decorating to create a one-of-a-kind projection mapping show, a la what you would see displayed on Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World in Orlando. “I wanted to merge those two passions and create a larger-than-life, story-driven display and achieve something that the neighborhood had never seen before,” said Fitzpatrick, who studied film production at NYIT and directing at the School of Visual Arts. The result is four unique shows — all tailored to the dimensions of the home — playing every few minutes. Some are riffs on Christmas classics like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” as well as an original, “A Peppermint Valley Christmas.” “Every year the shows get bigger and, hopefully, better to wow the neighborhood and keep them coming back,” he said.

Labor of love: Fitzpatrick said creating the shows from scratch takes months of work. “A Peppermint Valley Christmas” includes an original story, more than 50 unique gingerbread characters, 20 house designs and voice work from local singers and actors to bring it to life. Fitzpatrick’s friend Katelyn Harold, of Bethpage, provided her voice to create the lovable, energetic lead for the original show. Harold also lent her talents for an original song as a vocalist and musical director. “Bringing someone into the mix who was as passionate as I was truly brought the project together and created something we’re so proud of,” Fitzpatrick said. The shows are also synchronized to music (tune your radio to 106.9 FM).

Holiday message: Fitzpatrick said the collaborative effort is his favorite part. “This year’s show is all about working together to build something bigger than yourself, and that’s exactly what we did behind the scenes,” he said. “Like, the gingerbreads in the show say “nothing is stronger than the things we build together.’ ”

Giving season: The Fitzpatrick family is collecting donations for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. People can donate in person or on Instagram, @fitz_studios.

-— Vera Chinese

66 Faulkner Ave., North Babylon

Family: Jodi and Donald Lee, standing, from left, with daughter Alexis Dickmann, and grandchildren, from left, Zoe Dickmann, 4, Jaxon Taylor, 4 months (the son of their daughter Jessica Lee, not shown) and Kylee Dickmann, 5.

Lights on: Daily from 5 to 11 p.m.

Lights out: New Year’s Day

Love of Light: With grandchildren to delight, the Lees’ holiday display features whimsical touches in addition to menorahs, dreidels and other traditional Hanukkah elements. Large inflatables include a rabbi on a unicorn, a green dinosaur holding a dreidel and a Happy Hanukkah arch. Decorations in Hanukkah colors of blue and white “give the whole space a festive, peaceful glow,” said Donald Lee, who converted to Judaism more than 20 years ago. The windows of their home are decorated as well, with a multicolored Star of David, two menorahs and lighted strings of dreidels. The entire display “blends tradition, warmth and celebration,” he said.

How it started: Thirty years ago, the family decided “it would be nice to have some Hanukkah representation” among their neighborhood’s diverse holiday displays, Lee said. They began in 1995 with a single decoration: A 7-foot-tall inflatable polar bear holding a dreidel. (A similar inflatable bear with a dreidel is still part of the display.) Over the years more lights, decorations and inflatables have been added to celebrate the eight-day Festival of Lights, which begins Dec. 14. (The exception was when the Lees decided not to decorate their house after the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel out of fear of antisemitic vandalism.) Nowadays, the public display is not just about representation, Lee said, but also “became a way for us to express Jewish pride in our community.”

Holiday message: The Lees said they “are proud to live in a diverse neighborhood comprised of different religions, race[s] and beliefs.” They hope their display sends messages of warmth, gratitude, blessings and a Hanukkah-inspired takeaway: “In a world full of darkness, be a light.”

— Jim Merritt

65 Elm Ave., Coram

Family: Arthur Giove with his wife, Marie, and son Dylan.

Lights on: Daily from 5 to 11 p.m.

Lights out: Christmas Day

Love of Light: The Giove family display features a tree with 6,400 pixel lights, a matrix screen with 5,000 lights, lit up singing trees and archways, a 26-foot blowup reindeer and a 10-by-6-foot butterfly display, perfect for social media photos. The display is synched to music and there are also lights covering the top of the house. “The whole roof just twinkles,” Arthur Giove said.

How it started: Arthur Giove began tricking out his home in 2006 after being inspired by a viral video. The home drew throngs of onlookers every year, helped in part by a Facebook group with 20,000 followers. He kept adding every year — until 2023 when he decided it was too much and listed everything on Facebook Marketplace and other places. He got a call from a buyer in New Jersey who came out with a 26-foot box truck and purchased the entire display. “He brought three people and filled the whole thing, front to back,” Giove said. “I shook his hand and that was it.” But Giove soon found he missed being the one to dazzle the neighborhood with light. “I said, ‘Wow, this is boring, nobody’s outside,’ “ he recalled. He started with a new display in 2024 and added 13,000 more lights this year. Visit bit.ly/4aEPIQI for more information.

Holiday message: Giove notes that he can’t really enjoy the show from inside his home so the effort is really to brighten other people’s day. “The best part is honestly the joy I bring to people,” he said. “I’ve heard from so many people throughout the years that I’m their family tradition.”

Giving season: The Giove family is collecting cash donations onsite for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

— Vera Chinese

289 N. Boston Ave., Massapequa

 

 

Family: Anthony Bove

Lights on: Every day from 5 to 11 p.m.; until midnight on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Lights out: Jan. 4

Love of Light: For years, when Bove was asked what he wanted for Christmas, his answer was always the same: More Christmas lights. This year’s edition features 5,740 lights on the roof (1,100 paper clips keep the light strings in place), a 20-foot Christmas tree and — Bove’s favorite piece — the Nativity, which he said “is a very special symbol of hope, love and faith.” He said he redesigns the layout each year with changes “to give it a fresh look” and adds to the sparkle by scooping up decorations at post-holiday sales.

How it started: “I’ve always been very passionate about Christmas,” Bove said. “I remember being in awe as a kid in the backseat of the car taking trips around the neighborhood with family members looking at all the decorated houses.” After seeing a 2009 reality TV special, “Invasion of the Christmas Lights,” featuring decorated homes all over the country, “I figured, let me take a crack at it and see what I can do,” Bove said. He added, “I really started to ramp up the production in 2022, and now here in 2025 I’m proudly showcasing my best work to date.” He said he aspires to compete on another reality show — “The Great Christmas Light Fight” on ABC.

Holiday message: “We all live busy lives, and the weeks, months and years seem to fly by faster than the speed of light,” Bove said. “It’s important to slow down, take a moment and rise to the occasion during the holidays.” Bove added that the holidays should be a time to “reflect on how lucky and fortunate we all are.” Plus, he said, “To all the visitors driving by, many of whom I don’t know and may never meet, I hope the display brings warmth to your soul.”

Giving season: Cash donations to the Marty Lyons Foundation, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses, can be made onsite or via Venmo or PayPal with a QR code within the display.

— Jim Merritt

69 Harrington Ave, Lindenhurst

Family: Nick Matsis, wife, Annmarie, and daughter Kaitlyn.

Lights on: 6 to 10:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday, then nightly with extended hours from Dec. 19-25. Visit
facebook.com/HarringtonAveLights for scheduling updates.

Lights out: Christmas Day.

Love of light: It takes several days to set up the annual display. “We’re a hardworking, blue-collar family that puts a lot of time into building something the community can enjoy,” Nick Matsis said. It’s fully synchronized to music (tune to 104.7 FM or press the red button at the display) and brimming with “movement, color and something for both kids and adults to enjoy,” Matsis added. Highlights include an animatronic Santa, Jack Frost, Olaf the Snowman from “Frozen” and video elements on a mega-tree, windows and garage.

How it started: Matsis said he was inspired by a pixel light display he saw a while back. “I enjoyed it so much that I said, ‘I’m going to build one myself,’ ” he recalled. “Once I saw what the technology could do, I wanted to bring something like that to our block for everyone to enjoy.” Intricate work was required to give the project colorful life. Between Halloween and Christmas, ”We had to push tens of thousands of pixel bulbs into all the props,” Matsis said of the display, which debuted in 2020.

Holiday message: He said he hopes visitors realize “life moves fast” and that they should take a moment to appreciate their blessings and spend time with the people who matter most. “Seeing families stop by, smile, take pictures and make memories means a lot to us,” Matsis said.

Giving season: Cash donations can be made onsite to Make-A-Wish.

— Jim Merritt

33 Brighton Rd., Island Park

Family: Tommy Barrella Jr., from left, holding son Beau, 2, his father, Tommy Sr., daughter Sadie, 12, and wife Shandell.

Lights on: Monday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m.

Lights out: Jan. 2

Love of light: Tommy Barrella Jr.’s father started decorating the family’s Island Park home about 35 years ago, and now the younger Barrella has taken over the tradition. What stands out at the Brighton Road house is the sheer number of blow molds adorning the front and back lawns — Barrella estimates there are more than 1,000. The father and son have been collecting them over the years, starting when the older Barrella worked as a sanitation worker and would salvage discarded decorations. The younger Barrella said he now often purchases them on the secondhand market. “I get them from all over the place. They are not that easy to find,” he said. “I like the thrill of finding them.” The collection includes the Tasmanian Devil, Peanuts characters, the Grinch and more snowmen, soldiers and Santas than one can count. The array got so big he could no longer contain it in the front yard, and in 2023 he filled the backyard and opened up a walking path for visitors to enjoy. They store it all in the offseason in two “massive” sheds on the property, Barrella said.

A special visit: Santa will be there at 6 p.m. Dec. 20. For more information, visit their Facebook page, facebook.com/barrellachristmas.

Why they do it: “It’s the families that keep coming back,” Barrella said. “The ones that come on Thanksgiving night [when he first lights the display] . . . I would never want to let them down.”

Giving season: The Barrellas are collecting toys for children in need.

All for love: Barrella dedicates the effort to his mother, Julie, who died from cancer in 2023.

— Vera Chinese

1315 Pine Ave, West Islip

Family: Ben and Mary Friedland

Lights on: 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; until 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Lights out: Dec. 26

Love of light: Animatronics are the stars of the Friedlands’ display, said son Edward Friedland, of Islip. Whimsical sights such as a moose whose head turns from side-to-side, a wing-flapping penguin and skiing bears greet visitors, along with Christmas classics Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Scrooge and Jack Frost. “Star Wars” fans can gaze starry-eyed at a garage display of Darth Vader, R2-D2 and a 7-foot Chewbacca. Another garage showcases animatronic Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald Duck and “Stitch” Disney figures. “They all move and say holiday messages,” Edward Friedland said. Starting the Saturday before Hanukkah, which begins Dec. 14, a 4-foot menorah is added to honor his father’s Jewish heritage, he said.

How it started: The Friedlands, who moved to Long Island from Brooklyn 55 years ago, wanted to recreate the holiday magic they’d seen in renowned Christmas light displays in Brooklyn communities such as Dyker Heights, Friedland said. They started in 2000 by decorating their house with blow molds and string lights, and the display grew over the years. Friedland eventually became his parents’ holiday helpmate, flying in to help on weekends when he lived in Las Vegas. Now that he’s moved back to Long Island and his mother and father are seniors, he said he handles more challenging tasks such as using a bucket truck to wrap an oak tree “from the ground to 30 feet in the air” with multicolored lights.

Holiday message: Befitting an interfaith family, the Friedlands’ decorations embrace a universal message for the holiday season. Onlookers of all faiths are wished “a joyous holiday filled with lasting memories with family and friends,” Friedland said.

— Jim Merritt