Manalapan man lights way for hope, joy and charity
Glittering display draws visitors from near and far
BY AMY ROSEN Staff Writer
The spirit of Christmas is burning brightly in Manalapan. If you have driven down Tennent Road lately, you can't help glancing down Devon Drive South where 127,000 lights are burning inside, outside and all around the home of Al and Rita Steinke.

HAL GREENBERG Even the Grinch can't keep from smiling at the abundance of Christmas lights and decorations at the Steinke home on Devon Drive South, Manalapan. More than 120,000 lights and 70 Christmas trees are part of the lavish decorations.

If you have not been fortunate enough to see the display at 92 Devon Drive South, there's still time left before Christmas to check it out. Just look for the lights and the sign saying "Merry Christmas" shining brightly on the roof. The display will be open from 6-10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 6 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday evenings through Jan. 6. The lights will stay on Christmas Eve and Christmas night as well.

The Christmas wonderland is the culmination of months of setting up and years of collecting hundreds of moving, flashing and stationary visual delights. Steinke, who works for Paramount Transportation, a moving contractor in Edison, begins working on his masterpiece in September and does not stop until Dec. 1. His family supports his efforts and his son Ross, 12, a student at Lafayette Mills School, is slated to take over the project some day just as Steinke took over the project from his father.

"I started helping my father decorate our house on Oriskany Drive in Freehold Township when I was 10," Steinke said. "When I was a kid I loved how my parents took me around to see Christmas lights and I loved the joy and happiness the season brought. It gives you hope for a few minutes before you go back to the problems in life."

Steinke said his sister, Lee, suggested a house-lighting contest to the mayor of Freehold Township almost a decade ago. The mayor listened and implemented her idea.

Steinke's father, Al Sr., said, "Ours was nothing this size. I've never seen anything like this in my life. They work hard."

Steinke's mom, Diana, said, "It's beautiful! I'm amazed every time I look at it. And each time I look around, I see new things I never noticed before. It gives a lot of joy to people."

"When I get home from work every night, I start working on the decorations," Steinke said, "and sometimes I don't come into the house for days at a time."

He says his wife, Rita, and daughter Ivana, 15, a student at Manalapan High School, keep bringing him food and drinks outside and the neighbors pass by with snacks and coffee.

"We try to help him," Rita said. "We do a little, but most of it is him. It's all in his mind, and it's a little different every time. The walk-through paths are new this year. He's already thinking about how he can top this next year."

When asked if she minds transforming her house every year, Rita replied (in between entertaining family members inside the house and greeting a constant flow of visitors outside), "The kids love it and so do I. I always loved Christmas. I don't mind that he does it. Look at this stuff, it's great! For all the good that comes out of this, how can I mind?"

According to Steinke, there are 8.4 miles of lights on the property and 79 Christmas trees outside the house. Sixteen Christmas trees adorn the inside of the house. The electricity bill is about $3,500 for the seven weeks the lights are on.

The family puts much of its downstairs furniture in storage to make way for the holiday display, which includes a Polar Bear Mountain, lots of elves, a super-size Father Time, a musical carousel, and many different versions of Santa, to name a few. Christmas decorations and lights are everywhere you look inside the house, including the laundry room, bathroom and even the pantry closet. Toy soldiers line the way up the stairs that lead to yet another Christmas tree. Visitors are welcome to peek inside the windows to see the tremendous living room and dining room displays.

The garage has window displays with singing and dancing Santas, moving trains, a giant dancing snowman and much more to delight visitors. Everyone who visits gets to take a candy cane.

Outside there are lit paths that take visitors around the property. Giant Mickey Mouse and Grinch inflatables greet people and Christmas trees line the driveway. Candy cane signs mark the lanes with names such as Xmas Light Court, Chestnut Lane and Miracle Way.

Steinke is very proud of some of the items he created by hand, including an indoor white birch tree made out of PVC pipe and garland, an igloo surrounded by polar bears, and a huge donation box for charity.

On the box, which asks for donations for St. Jude Children's Hospital and the Children's Diabetes Fund, is a message written by Steinke: "It's not a Christmas well, it's a magical Christmas box. Drop in some love and hope. Lets make the children well."

Steinke's neighbor, musician Ray Parrella, donated copies of his Christmas CD "Harmonies For Christmas" that people may purchase for an $8 donation to the charity box.

At the end of the season the donations will be evenly distributed to both charities. Last year's donation box netted $680 for Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, and next year's recipient will probably be the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Steinke estimates that this year's donations are approaching $1,000. He is counting on the good will and generosity of his visitors to come through for the charities.

"Maybe this is what I'm supposed to do," said Steinke, who stands outside his house greeting his guests. "I give people hope and joy. I feel excited and elated here. When I turn these lights on, crazy things happen."

For instance, one night a lady rang his bell crying. She explained that she was from northern New Jersey and had never been in this part of the state before. She said she just drove and found his house and waited outside until she got the courage to ring his bell. She explained that she had tried to commit suicide two times this year and showed him the stitches in her arms. She then stated that she would never try to take her life again.

Steinke said the woman told him, "Thank you for the lights. If you can do this for everyone, I can go on. My problems are not so bad anymore. I can move forward."

On another occasion a car pulled up after hours and three young men stumbled out of the vehicle, obviously drunk. Steinke anticipated trouble when one young man walked up to him and asked him why he does this.

Steinke said he replied, "It brings hope and joy to people during Christmastime."

The young man explained that he just got out of prison. He had never met his mom or dad and never had a birthday cake.

"All I know how to do is crime and all I ever do is hurt people," the man said, according to Steinke.

Steinke told him to take a candy cane and walk around and said maybe for one day things would be OK.

The young man started to cry and told Steinke he felt full of joy. He explained that he and his companions were from Maryland and had left there to rob people for Christmas money, but he did not feel like doing it anymore. He said if he had a father, he would pick Steinke and said he was going to turn over a new leaf. He thanked Steinke and said he was going to go home.

Last year, according to Steinke, a woman came up to the door with a 3-yearold child. She asked if he had a train and Steinke told her it was inside, but was not running too well. The woman asked if they could come inside so her daughter could sit in front of it for a little while. She explained that the girl had only 3 months to live and would not be around for another Christmas. She thought visiting the house would help the child for a while.

Steinke told them to stay as long as they wanted and even offered to give the girl the trains to take home. The mother said she just wanted to thank him for letting them come and enjoy it so her daughter could smile for a while.

Steinke said a special moment occurred this year when the Rev. John Bambrick of St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church, Manalapan, to which the Steinkes belong, came to bless the Nativity scene at his home.

On a recent evening, Eileen Gross of Marlboro and her mother, Eileen Scholl of Gloucester County, had just returned from a trip to Las Vegas and Gross told her mother she had to see this house before returning home. When Scholl saw the display she was enthralled.

"Thank you," Scholl said to Steinke. "This is absolutely magnificent. You gave joy to my Christmas. Do you know how much joy you give to people?"

Gross added, "This is magical."

Another visitor, Michael Mammano, 6, of Manalapan, said, "I love it!"

Michael's parents, Linda and Ernie Mammano, echoed their son's approval.

"We love it, too. He did a beautiful job," they said.

"We love Christmas down to our souls," Steinke said. "So many good things happen. I'm somebody that believes in hope and cheer. This is what I'm capable of giving back to the world. I can't give millions, but I can give lights and happiness and joy to the children of the world. It gives faith and hope for kids that maybe dreams can come true. One smiling kid in the driveway makes it all worth it."