CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — Christmas is just one week away, and one Chesapeake man is really in the holiday spirit.
Shawn Machemer has been decking his halls and his home at 1109 Shore Road with an elaborate light show for years, and keeps adding more lights each holiday season.
“I’ve been doing this for 10 or 11 years. I’m not exactly sure … I remember driving around looking at lights, and always liking them, and then I saw somewhere, some place, someone had lights to the music. It bit me and every year I’ve added to it, and I’ve gotten to this point.”
Shawn says there are about 56,000 lights in total synchronized to music, and 800 lights on each of the larger trees in his yard.
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“I know this year for corona I used to hand out candy canes, and I’m just not doing it. So that’s kind of a bummer for me because I did like giving the candy canes to the kids and such.”
This year however he’s collecting for the food bank, with a little bin out front.
“I would love to see more people more people put lights out and bring smiles to people’s faces, may not to my extent.”
He says it’s all for good fun.
“Just put some lights out and share some joy.”
Shawn’s lights will be up at his home on Shore Road through the holidays. Catch the display from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, visit his Facebook page.