Gene and Crystal Long have gone all out this year for Christmas by decorating their home in Davenport Acres in Long County.
“I think we have around 15,000 lights up right now, but we are constantly adding more,” Gene Long said.
In addition to the lights, the Longs also have nearly 20 large displays, including Santa flying in an airplane, a ferris wheel, Santa on a train, the Grinch and even a snowman blowing snow.
But even adding more to the magic is that the displays are all synchronized to music, and transmitted over the radio for spectators who visit the area in their vehicles.
Long said he found a vacant radio frequency and built a transmitter to send the music out over the radio.
“The musical display lasts about 25 minutes and there are all kinds of songs included so everyone will find something they like,” he said.
According to Crystal Long, it was no easy task getting all of the display up, “With our schedules, it took us about a month to put all of it up, and we were continually adding more as we went along,” she said. “We also have to work a little with it daily to keep all the items going.”
Gene Long said he began putting the components together right after Christmas last year for this year’s musical display and worked on them through out the year.
This isn’t the first time the Longs have gone all out for Christmas. Last year, they made national news when Gene made a homemade snow maker and when the temperature dropped low enough he put snow all over their yard.
“If it gets down to around 25 degrees, I’ll put out the snow again, but this year we won’t have as much room as we did last year,” he said.
When the couple was asked about their favorite part of the display, Crystal Long said, “I think it is the little pine trees as they light up to the music.”
Her husband noted, “All of this was a lot of work, but I dedicate it to my wife”.
The Longs are displaying their winter wonderland from 6-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 6-11 p.m. Friday through Sunday — unless it’s raining.
So if you want to see something special, set your radio station on 99.3 and travel down Elim Church Road. Just across from the church, you will see and hear Christmas cheer.
“I think we have around 15,000 lights up right now, but we are constantly adding more,” Gene Long said.
In addition to the lights, the Longs also have nearly 20 large displays, including Santa flying in an airplane, a ferris wheel, Santa on a train, the Grinch and even a snowman blowing snow.
But even adding more to the magic is that the displays are all synchronized to music, and transmitted over the radio for spectators who visit the area in their vehicles.
Long said he found a vacant radio frequency and built a transmitter to send the music out over the radio.
“The musical display lasts about 25 minutes and there are all kinds of songs included so everyone will find something they like,” he said.
According to Crystal Long, it was no easy task getting all of the display up, “With our schedules, it took us about a month to put all of it up, and we were continually adding more as we went along,” she said. “We also have to work a little with it daily to keep all the items going.”
Gene Long said he began putting the components together right after Christmas last year for this year’s musical display and worked on them through out the year.
This isn’t the first time the Longs have gone all out for Christmas. Last year, they made national news when Gene made a homemade snow maker and when the temperature dropped low enough he put snow all over their yard.
“If it gets down to around 25 degrees, I’ll put out the snow again, but this year we won’t have as much room as we did last year,” he said.
When the couple was asked about their favorite part of the display, Crystal Long said, “I think it is the little pine trees as they light up to the music.”
Her husband noted, “All of this was a lot of work, but I dedicate it to my wife”.
The Longs are displaying their winter wonderland from 6-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 6-11 p.m. Friday through Sunday — unless it’s raining.
So if you want to see something special, set your radio station on 99.3 and travel down Elim Church Road. Just across from the church, you will see and hear Christmas cheer.