Port Washington's 'Clark Griswold' Offers Christmas Light Tips

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — Bob Young's home on Sunnyvale Road in Port Washington has become a must-see during the holiday season in recent years for his stunning Christmas light display.

In 2014, his home, decked out with a massive Christmas tree, an array of smaller trees and thousands of other lights lining his home illuminated to soundtrack of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's song "Christmas Canon Rock." In 2016, the light show pulsed to the orchestra's hit song "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo."

Young previously told Patch the holiday season holds a special place in his family's hearts.

"Decorating the house and our Christmas tree was something we looked forward to every Christmas season," he wrote in a 2015 email. "It was something we did together as a family, and helped us stay close throughout the years."

Putting up ornate holiday light shows gets you noticed, and this year was no exception. Young and other experts offered holiday light tips to New York Magazine's brand The Strategist for anyone else looking to go "full Griswold."

Here are three pieces of advice they gave:

1. LED lights are the way to go. They're more durable in the winter, safer, can last for years and save money compared to incandescent.

2. Use ground-fault circuit interrupter, or GCFI, extension cords. These can prevent you from getting shocked, burned and electrocuted.

3. Symmetry is key. Studies have shown people find symmetrical faces more attractive, and the same is apparently true of Christmas light displays. You can buy hundreds of thousands of bulbs, but in the words of Cousin Eddie, it "just ain't gonna look right."

You can check out some of Young's holiday light shows below: