GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The work began before Thanksgiving. Jerry and Donna Van Gessel work tirelessly every year to make sure their home brings their neighbors joy.
"It takes me about a week to go through all the lights and make sure they're all working and two and a half weeks to put it up," Jerry said.
We found the Van Gessels on the We Are West Siders Facebook page, where they were encouraging everyone to drive past their home on 5th Street between Lincoln and Powers avenues.
"We look forward to doing it and trying to find something we can add to it," Donna said.
"It just brings happiness. People make comments about it. I think it gives something back to the neighborhood and to the community."
Everything in the yard represents something near and dear to them, and the Van Gessels say the display as a whole kind of represents the West Side.
"Everything is a little bit different and when everything is all put together, it works well," Donna said.
The lights go on between 5 p.m. and midnight every night and on Christmas Eve, the Van Gessels will leave them on all night long.
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Matt Gard is the Senior Producer of 13 ON YOUR SIDE Mornings. If you have a story idea, you can contact him on Twitter, @mgard_wzzm13 or by email, MattGard@13ONYOURSIDE.com.