The house belongs to Jorge Flores de Valgaz, his wife Tatiana Londono, and their sons, Jorge Jr., Alejandro and Julian, and for a few weeks each December, it becomes a place people seek out. Children press their faces to the windows. Parents idle with engines running. Groups arrive with plans to stay five minutes and linger longer, pulled along by pathways of light leading the eye from one corner of the yard to the next.

This does not happen by accident.

Every year, the work begins early, often during the first week of October. Ladders come out. Boxes open. Extension cords stretch across the grass and along the siding. Some days bring a few hours of work. Others run long.

“There are days we do three or four hours,” Jorge said. “And then there are days we do 10 hours.

Sentinel photo by CARLA CRUANYAS
A stunning Christmas light display adorns the Flores de Valgaz household beginning in early October.

Eight hours.”

The family keeps going, building the display piece by piece, adjusting as they go, changing designs from past years and trying new ideas.

Over time, the scale grew. What started small more than a decade ago now fills the yard and wraps the house.

“You know, it started small,” Jorge said. “But every year we did more. We don’t do the same thing every year. We change it.”

The family no longer counts the number of lights.

Sentinel photo by CARLA CRUANYAS
A stunning Christmas light display adorns the Flores de Valgaz household beginning in early October.

“There are thousands of lights,” Jorge said. “I get asked that question a lot, but I don’t know how many.”

Curtains of lights ripple across walls, shifting colors in quiet patterns. The effect draws attention, though no sign announces it.

Visitors arrive from nearby neighborhoods and from farther away. Many come after hearing about it from friends. Others stumble upon it by chance. Some find it through his Facebook page, Knoll Drive Lights.

The lights turn on each evening beginning Dec. 1 and stay on through Dec. 31, usually starting around 5 p.m. Cars line up along the road during busy nights, headlights dimmed, radios low.

“We get a lot of people,” Jorge said. “People come from far away, too. It’s becoming popular in the community.”

Sentinel photo by CARLA CRUANYAS
A stunning Christmas light display adorns the Flores de Valgaz household beginning in early October.

The family does not offer formal tours inside the house. The invitation stays outdoors. People drive through, walk along the edge of the yard, and move on when ready.

“We don’t have people tour the house,” Jorge said. “It’s a drive-through. People come and look at the lights.”

The work runs as a shared effort. Jorge, Tatiana, and their sons all help. Friends often join in, especially classmates of the children.

“It’s a family thing,” Jorge said. “The kids help. Sometimes, friends from school come and help. They climb the trees. They like that part.”

The hours add up. So does the cost. During December, the electric bill reaches its highest point.

Sentinel photo by CARLA CRUANYAS
A stunning Christmas light display adorns the Flores de Valgaz household beginning in early October.

“That’s been my highest,” Jorge said. “About $1,100 for the month.”

The family expects it. The bill arrives and gets paid, folded into the season like everything else.

Behind the lights sits a reason rooted in tradition. Jorge said Christmas carries deep meaning for the family, shaped in part by Tatiana’s upbringing in Colombia.

“She’s from Colombia,” Jorge said. “In our country, people go all out for Christmas. We love Christmas. It’s Jesus’ birthday.”

The decorations follow from that belief.

“I think it’s a good thing for the community,” Jorge said. “A lot of kids come and watch it.”

Some nights bring larger groups than expected.

“Last night we had a big van full of church kids,” he said.

Managing the time commitment requires flexibility. Jorge owns a contract cleaning company with over 120 employees operating in several states. He works from home, which allows time for the long setup.

“That helps,” he said. “It gives us time.”

Inside the house, daily life continues. Shoes line the wall. Coats hang wherever there is room. Outside, the yard carries the weight of the season.

Neighbors watch the transformation each year. The house shifts from quiet to busy. Cars pass slowly. People wave. Some return more than once, bringing others along.

The family takes pride in offering something positive to the community. The work does not seek attention or praise. It exists because it brings happiness to others. People leave smiling. Children talk about it on the way home. Parents remember it later.

“For the community, we really take pride in doing something nice,” Jorge said. “To bring joy to a lot of people.”

As the month moves on, the nights grow colder. Frost settles on the grass. The lights hold steady against the dark. Cars keep coming.

When January arrives, the process reverses. Lights come down. Boxes fill again. The yard clears. The house returns to its usual look, quiet and familiar.

For now, the lights stay on. A car pauses at the curb. Another follows. The colors hold steady and patient, waiting for the next set of eyes to find them.