Anyone walking through the Tijmveld in Veghel cannot easily escape the Christmas atmosphere. Numerous lights twinkle in the front garden of Maarten Derks (38). An enchanting light show with music and smoke starts here three times a night. Despite all the bells and whistles, local residents really appreciate it: “I came across it by chance, but I have now been there for the third time in a row.”
Just before six o’clock a group of parents with children gathered in front of Maarten’s house. The music starts to play softly and lights twinkle and it builds into a real light spectacle.
Preparations for this spectacle started months ago. It is the third year in a row that Maarten has unleashed his creativity on this. “I have been preparing and programming since the construction holiday. I started building the light installation at the beginning of November,” he says enthusiastically.
“You have to do your homework and practice programming a lot.”
He has spent all his free time on the show in recent months, so now that the show is finished, he has some things to make up for with his family, he jokes.
At the technology cabinet, Maarten explains how the system makes the LED lights come on at the right time. “It looks more complicated than it is, but you have to do your homework and practice programming a lot.”
You might expect that the neighbors are not looking forward to that flashy light show at all, but they are surprisingly positive. With his hands in his pockets, neighbor Matthieu watches the show: “I have the ideal neighbor,” he says, laughing.
“When I see how Maarten brightens up the street, it makes me very happy.”
“When I see how Maarten is committed to brightening up the street, it makes me very happy.” This year Matthieu even helped with the music for the light show.
Maarten does try to take the neighborhood into account. “The music is not always on,” he reassures. “And the LED lights are only at ten percent strength of what they can do.”
Another passerby also noticed the effort Maarten put into his show. “I came across it by chance, but I am now there for the third time in a row,” she says. “I really appreciate that someone puts so much work into this.”
More lamps are added every year, Maarten says, and he has no plans to stop the show anytime soon. He even carefully dares to dream big: “Even if the street is full, there will probably be another building that can be illuminated.”