(New Buffalo, MI) - He started by stringing lights on a single tree for his personal enjoyment during the holidays. About 18 years later, a New Buffalo Township man has a sort of Santa's Village of lights flashing to the sounds of Christmas music to share with others his joy of the season.
Jerry Kohlenstein said positive feedback he receives while out in the community helps keep him going with the still growing display of close to 90,000 lights at his home on Behner Road off U.S. 12. Some people who came out while growing up are bringing their children now to see the display Kohlenstein calls “Harbor Country Lights.”
"There are normally cars out here every night," he said. A vast majority of the lights are synchronized to Christmas music he broadcasts at 93.3 on the FM dial. The radio signal from his small transmitter covers an up to 300-foot radius around his property.
Many of the lights are on live pine trees while the others hang from pine tree shaped metal frames. The five largest tree displays regularly switch colors from green, red and white.
Phrases like “Happy Holidays” and “Joy” spelled out in lights turn on and off between the large tree displays during the playing of songs. The songs include “Joy to the World” and “Linus and Lucy,” the theme song of the Charlie Brown cartoons. The lights are synchronized to music on a computer Kohlenstein spends quite a bit of time programming himself. "It can take up to five hours or more per minute of music just to do a song," he said. The rest of his display is next to his house in a wood that contains lighted animal figures like reindeer and smaller pine trees radiating light.
Kohlenstein is old enough to retire but continues to work after close to 40 years as a housing contractor. The Christmas display, requiring about 100 hours to put up and take down every season, is a product of his early beginnings in theatrical lighting and expertise in electronics.
Despite the work involved, Kohlenstein said he has no plans to stop putting up the lights.
Kohlenstein said he still has a blast with the project he started just to have fun but also feels a sense of commitment. He doesn't want to disappoint people who look forward to the lights or not give individuals a chance to see them for the very first time.
The lights burn from dusk to dawn beginning the day after Thanksgiving to New Year's Day.
"As more people came out and started to look at them, I found out how much people enjoyed seeing them, so I just kept wanting to add more every year. It's an ongoing project," he said.
Kohlenstein, who wouldn't reveal the impact of the lights on his electric bill, said the cost is well worth it. "I have fun doing what I do. Let's put it that way," he said.
