(WXYZ) — If you’re looking for someone who has that Christmas twinkle in their eye, look no further than metro Detroiter AJ Vultaggio.
"It really started just with my family ... we always put up a nice display," he said.
His love for the holidays expanded each year, and eventually turned into quite a commitment.
"November 3, I started putting all the Christmas stuff up, all the lights and everything, and it took me all the way up until that week of Thanksgiving," said AJ.
A decorating mastermind, the 19-year-old started spilling his holiday magic into his neighbor’s yard years ago.
"We saw what he was doing. So we just said, 'you know, it's an open slate if you want to use our property,'" said neighbor Perri Kern.
And then, AJ started decorating another home on the block.
"He is so helpful and thoughtful. I mean, he's like, I could say, almost like a step grandson. He's always asking me if he can help me do something. He's just ... an all around, very nice young man," said neighbor Ed Kern.
Decorating three houses for the holidays has become an annual tradition in his Macomb Township subdivision, with each year bringing something new.
"This year I added a 23-piece nativity set, I hand cut out all the pieces," said AJ.
While the decorating takes up a lot of his free time, AJ says it's not something he plans to give up anytime soon.
"I love when people come by. That's the main big factor for why I do it. I love seeing the people coming by and just their reactions and everything. It's really nice to see," he said.
His neighbors couldn't be more thrilled with his holiday passion.
"We get really excited with him. It's nice to see him so into something so innocent, you know? I mean, it's just an innocent thing for him, but he's so into it. So he's a genuine kid, you know, it's really great," said Perri.
As they say, the best way to spread Christmas cheer is decorating loud for all to see. Isn't that how that goes? If you want to check out his 3-home holiday display, head to the Pinnacle Woods subdivision in Macomb Township off of 23 Mile Road between North Avenue and Fairchild.
