By Monica Dinh
Entertainment Editor
For the past 21 years, Neil Dispirito has been lighting up the Levittown community with his spectacular display of Christmas lights located at 1 White Spruce Lane Levittown, PA. What started off as small decorations using only ten sets of lights and a thousand paperclips has evolved to covering his entire yard and house with lights.
“The setup process usually takes about eight weeks so I take a four week vacation from my job as the electronic technician for the Neshaminy School District and another four weeks of nights and weekends in order to get everything done,” Dispirito said. Over the past years the setup crew has amounted to 20 people ranging from ages 13 to 83. “Everyone has their own part in the process and it’s nice because I never ask any of them to come; they just show up and are ready to help!”
Dispirito’s display includes 250 blow molds, two dozen inflatable characters, and 150,000 lights. In total he uses 48,000 watts of electricity. Due to this, he has 42 circuit breakers and a dedicated serviceman just for the Christmas season. As an added note all the electrical outlets are GFI protected making sure that everyone’s safety is secured.
On the night of Dec. 7 around 3,000 people showed up at Dispirito’s home in order to it light up. An additional 100 other guests which included family and friends were housed inside. “Every year I actually have to move all my furniture into the backyard in order to fit everyone into my house,” Dispirito said.
This year the event was one of the largest it’s ever been. The Men of Harmony, a local chorus, came to spread holiday cheer by singing Christmas carols. People of all ages gathered around and belted out to “Jingle Bells” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”
Each and every year Santa picks out a child to be the one who turns on the Christmas lights. This year it was the lucky Ethan Hoyas and coincidentally it was also his birthday. There was a countdown and by the end of it the crowd roared with enchantment as the light flicked on.
The front lawn of the Dispirito home was completely filled with every thing that resembled Christmas imaginable. A massive Santa blowup, the Nativity scene, three turning Ferris Wheels, multiple Christmas trees, all of the reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh including Rudolph and Thrasher, the evil reindeer from the 2009 Disney television special, “Prep and Landing.” Then, there was the actual house itself which was covered from one end to the other in strings of lights.
Later on in the night a fire truck arrived with a special visit from Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. As the truck pulled around the corner the joy and laughter of children echoed and kids climbed atop their parent’s shoulders just to get a closer glimpse of the man himself. Santa is at Dispirito’s house every Saturday from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm and will also be there on Christmas Eve night.
Dispirito definitely out did himself, but it was well worth all the hard work. “My favorite part of Christmas is seeing all of the kids’ faces light up when they run up to the house or when they see Rudolph and automatically have go over to touch his red nose,” Dispirito said.
It’s certain that there’s something really magical about Neil Dispirito and how he warms the hearts of many people each and every Christmas season. He most certainly brings out the true meaning of Christmas.
