Home’s holiday display has more than 60,000 lights

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. » At Christmas time, Paul Smith is one of National Grid’s favorite customers.

His house and yard at 22 Clayton St. in Glens Falls is decorated with more than 60,000 lights and interactive push-button displays, complete with music.

“The electric bill is quite substantial,” Smith said. “It’s gone down since we started using LED lights, but the cost of buying them is staggering. There’s 14,000 on the tall tower tree alone. They cost $3,000.”

Smith and his late father, William, started putting up displays 27 years ago, never intending to become a regional destination. Since then, the project has taken on a life of its own, with new features each year.

This year, a big tree out front is bathed in green flood lights, while “meteor” lights that resemble blue dripping icicles hang from the limbs. Three inflatable singing snowmen have also joined the ensemble, and push-button musical Christmas trees have new songs, along with new carols that accompany the Wall of Lights toward the rear of the house.

“I start putting it up in September,” said Smith. “My daughter, Chelsea, and four

or five of her Glens Falls High School friends help out. I couldn’t do it without them.”

Clayton Street is directly behind the school.

The lights come on each year on Thanksgiving night and stay up through the holidays.

From 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, the Glens Falls High School Octet will sing Christmas carols at the home, continuing a 20-year tradition.

Smith provides the display free of charge, although donations are accepted in a cannister out front. Also, people may drop off non-perishable food items in a collection box for the Open Door Mission.

When Christmas is over, the big job of taking things down begins.

“It all has to be put away or else squirrels chew the wires and the sun fades things,” Smith said.

Dozens of cars per night stop by and visitors are encouraged to get out and activate one of the 13 pushbutton features such as a colorful helicopter that lifts off the roof.

“This is my full-time venture,” said Smith, 62, who is retired. “I’ve got stuff in mind for years to come. It’s just a matter of time and money.”

His wish list for future Christmases includes digitally-controlled animatronics.

Perhaps Santa will deliver some this year. But with all the lights on Smith’s roof, the jolly old elf might have a hard time landing his sleigh.

A tall tower tree with 14,000 LED lights that change color is a main attraction at the Smith residence in Glens Falls.

PHOTOS BY PAUL POST — PPOST@DIGITALFIRSTMEDIA.COM The Smith residence has 13 interactive push-botton features including a helicopter that lifts off the roof.

PAUL POST -- PPOST@DIGITALFIRSTMEDIA.COM A lighted Christmas village with dozens of houses and buildings is one of many features visitors may see at the Smith residence, 22 Clayton St., in Glens Falls.