SOUND AND LIGHTS—The holiday light display created by Newbury Park resident Eric Adem at 5209 Via Jacinto in Newbury Park features a light show synchronized to holiday music. Tune to 99.1 FM on your vehicle radio while in front of the display. JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers If it’s not beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, a spectacular holiday display in town is prepared to change that sentiment and put everyone in the mood for jingle bells, mistletoe and Santa Claus.

So pack up the children and take a drive to the animated Christmas lights display synchronized to music at the Adem home at 5209 Via Jacinto in Dos Vientos. Turn the car stereo to FM 99.1 and watch 13,000 incandescent bulbs dance up and down tall palm trees, twirl around spiral Christmas trees and frolic over arches.

The display is turned on from 5 to 10 p.m. The songs playing are “Amazing Grace,” “Miracle on 34th Street,” “Hallelujah Chorus,” “Nutcracker Finale,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Carol of the Bells.”

Homeowner Eric Adem, a software developer, created the software for the 104 individually computer-controlled sections of lights he uses.

“I planned and sketched out everything on the computer, did research and tested various parts of my display,” he said.

It’s Las Vegas meets Bethlehem. In between songs the display goes dark; then, as the first note of the song plays, the lights go on and the effect of their twinkling, twirling and frolicking is stunning.

Children will be wide-eyed. Mom will giggle. Dad will smile. Inside the warmth of the family car there will be clapping. It’s a hot cocoa and candy cane moment.

Sometimes the Adem family brings out freshly baked cookies to share with their audience.

“I love music, computers and Christmas, so this is a way to combine all three, and my kids as well as people in the neighborhood love seeing it,” Adem said. 

At the center of the display are figures of Mary, Joseph and the Christ child. They’re constantly illuminated, with strands of blue lights blinking on the stairs where the holy family stands. Arches with a variety of white lights surround them.

A wall of candy canes stretches between the figurines and the street. At each side are spiral Christmas trees. Two tall palm trees are wrapped in colored lights with giant snowflakes at the top. A bright star on the house is also outlined with patterns of lights. Above the garage is a balcony with a disco ball that sometimes lights up and makes the driveway and yard sparkle as it spins.

Adem has been doing this for four years as a way to “praise God.”

The homeowner took advantage of off-season sales throughout the year and hand-built some of the components of the display that he started putting up Nov. 1.

The light display was featured on “Fritz’s Holiday Lights” on the Channel 4 News and will be appearing on its Best of Christmas Lights special airing later this month, Adem said.