Santee residents lights up the neighborhood with holiday cheer

The Balazs family is well known in its neighborhood for its fantastic musical light display at their house during the holiday season. This is a combined effort by the family with help from some neighbors, friends and family that bring joy to the many people that go to see this fantastic light show every evening. Started by Michael Balazs 10 years ago in loving memory of his father who passed away from cancer in 2009, he began the extravagant light show because Christmas was his father's favorite season of the year.

The Balazs family is well known in its neighborhood for its fantastic musical light display at their house during the holiday season. This is a combined effort by the family with help from some neighbors, friends and family that bring joy to the many people that go to see this fantastic light show every evening. Started by Michael Balazs 10 years ago in loving memory of his father who passed away from cancer in 2009, he began the extravagant light show because Christmas was his father's favorite season of the year. What began with 32 channels of lights has grown to 30,000 Christmas lights that dance along with 10 songs that people can get out of the car and watch or listen to it from their cars on FM radio.

As part of his respect to his father, he takes donations for the St. Jude's Children's Hospital and unwrapped gifts and canned goods that he donates locally to the Santee Santas Foundation. To date he has raised approximately $10,000 and looks to increase donations year after year.

On weekends, Balazs has a special treat for children. On Saturday and Sunday evenings, he and his helpers dress up in character's in his driveway giving children a chance to get photos with their favorite characters, allowing parents to take as many photos as they like. Last year he had children lined up for two blocks for pictures with the Grinch, who didn't steal Christmas.

This past weekend, he had Santa and Buddy the Elf in the driveway on Saturday, and for Sunday a special treat for many with Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff from Disney's popular movie "Frozen."

"This is my 9th year in San Diego doing this and would really like to have more families enjoy this and make it a part of their Christmas," he said. "I put a lot of hours into programming the lights to music and a lot of money to set up and expand this show every year. It takes approx. 10 volunteers to put together the show and it takes me eight to 10 hours per minute of song to synchronize with the music. I would really like to see more smiles come from it. I do not gain anything of any kind for this. And when I walk outside and see little kids in front of the house dancing to the music and lights it makes me smile and I know my father is looking down smiling as well. I would really like for you to come out and see for yourself what I have done and help spread the word so other people can enjoy the show as much as I do setting it up."

For more information about the 30,000 Lights 600 Computer Controlled Channels 11 Light O Rama Controllers 3 Cosmic Color LED Ribbons show capable of producing 1.5 million colors of light and eight songs with new ones added during the performance. It runs nightly from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Facebook is www.facebook.com/dbchristmasWebsite is www.dbchristmas.com.

The light show is located at 9773 Roe Dr., Santee, CA.