A combination of colorful lights and messages of joy and happy holidays makes one Franklin Township home a can’t miss attraction this holiday season.

The home at 300 Laurel Drive is adorned by thousands of lights and is a real treat for passersby who are out for a drive to see Christmas decorations.

Al Barone said he’s decorated his home for the past 10 years.

“It sort of evolved over time; it’s keeping an eye out,” Barone said. “I think the house has a great layout for doing a big spread.”

Barone said the home features lots of lights, including happy holidays, which he said “just kind of covers it all.”

“To us, it’s just as much decorating for people to see as it is for us to enjoy,” he said. “The only regret I have is that we’re not on a main thoroughfare where a lot of cars can drive by and appreciate it.”

Barone described the gratification that is felt when people decorate for the holidays.

“It brightens things up,” he said. “I’ve had some neighbors that I inspired to decorate as well; we enjoy seeing it, and having other people see it.”

Barone said that the goal has been to add to the decorations each year and set it up in a way that keeps it exciting.

“There was a different time in my life when decorating wasn’t so important to me,” he said. “(Thanks to) good friends and family that came around and encouraged me to do it anyway, it sort of took its own life on from there, adding to it each year. However, Christmas isn’t the holiday that Barone decorates his home. This year, he said, the home’s decorations began before Halloween.

“We decorate big for Halloween as well,” he said. “There’s quite a bit of stuff we have to take down and put away; it probably takes a couple weeks of organizing and testing everything like that.”

Barone said his home is typically decorated with lighting throughout the year for different holidays; specifically any holiday that has a color associated with it.

“We’re excited with it; as planners and organizers, there’s always something you regret you did do or didn’t do,” he said. “It’s about finding something special.”

Barone said he would like to encourage more neighbors to decorate their homes for the holiday season.

“I think it helps to lift the spirits of the holiday, which can be tough for some people,” he said. “And come out and enjoy it and take a drive by, feel free to steal any ideas that we’ve come up with.”