You might be familiar with the tradition: everyone zips up their jackets and pulls on their boots, you all pile into the car — maybe grabbing some hot cocoa before you get in — and spend the evening driving around, admiring other people’s Christmas decorations.

But Todd Merkel of Palmerton doesn’t just give people something to look at. He puts on a show.

For years, Merkel has transformed the outside of his home on Mauch Chunk Road into a spectacle, named Stoney Ridge Lights, consisting of decorations he crafted himself, from the building of the frames to the fastening of the lights.

Merkel even programmed a light show, which is choreographed to six different songs.

“My love of Christmas lights, and Christmas, are what made me do all this,” Merkel said. “(When) I was a kid, I was putting lights on pretty much any tree I could find in the yard. Now I have some more resources and time.

“This is out of just my love of Christmas. I like to see people. It gives them something to do, something to enjoy.”

Merkel’s fascination with technology and background as a mechanic for Palmerton Borough helped him bring the project to life, but what really sparked his desire to put on such an exhibit was watching “The Great Christmas Light Fight” on ABC.

After that, his Christmas decorations went from already excessive to completely over the top. And his lawn is more impressive — and brighter — for it.

“Has it turned into a little bit of an addiction? Yeah, yeah,” Merkel said with a chuckle. “But you got to admit, I mean, I’m a guy that likes lights.”

There’s a lot to see: Santa sitting fireside, fish diving into a blue pond, there’s a Nativity display — even Charlie Brown and Snoopy make an appearance.

At the very top of Merkel’s lawn stands a 30-foot metal tree, flanked on each side by two 20-foot “firesticks” and another two smaller trees. That’s where the light show happens.

Merkel’s extravagant display is made possible by the contents of a plastic ammo box situated in his lawn. A compact piece of tech known as the “raspberry Pi” carries the show’s entire programming.

“This is the meat of the show,” Merkel said, pointing to the credit card sized computer.

The glow from some of his decorations is enhanced by RGB technology, which can produce over 16 million hues of light. They’re pixel lights, meaning each bulb can be individually controlled.

“I’m glad I went to it,” Merkel said. “I was always infatuated with traditional Christmas lights, but the things that you can do with (the pixel lights) is absolutely amazing.”

Setup for the display begins in early October.

Merkel’s girlfriend, Jackie, is right by his side.

Merkel doesn’t charge for watching his light show. Instead, he’s placed a drop box in the bus shelter opposite of his home for food, including pet food, donations on behalf of the Christian Action Council of Palmerton Area Churches food pantry.

The show starts at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 10:30 Sunday through Thursday, and at 11:30 Friday and Saturday.

The display is ornate enough that just seeing makes the drive worth it. But plan to stay awhile. Park your car in the lot across from his home, tune your radio to 95.5 FM, sit back and prepare to have your Christmas-themed socks knocked off. You won’t be the only one glad you did.

“The greatest thing for me is, if me and my girlfriend are here, and we look out the window, and we see a parking lot full of cars — it’s the best feeling,” Merkel said. “And then to see people walking over with bags of food — I mean, it’s the greatest thing.”