MERRY AND BRIGHT VALLEY HOMEOWNERS HOLD NOTHING BACK WITH SPECTACULAR HOLIDAY DISPLAYS.

Byline: Jaime Spangrude Staff Writer

Holiday decorating is back and it's bigger than ever. So big, in fact, that San Fernando Valley's famous Candy Cane Lane may be getting a run for its money.

Local residents are decking out their homes this year with handmade Christmas lawn sculptures and thousands upon thousands of bright lights. Themed displays range from the Grinch Who Stole Christmas at Wes Novotny's Saugus home to a Winter Wonderland replete with polar bears, angels and Santa Claus himself at Paul Geyer's Oak Park home.

``I do it for all the kids in the neighborhood,'' says Geyer, 55, who spent between 80 and 100 hours decorating his home, starting just before Halloween. His display also includes lights, snowmen, toy soldiers and reindeer.

``Christmas is my favorite holiday, no doubt about it.''

Mark Caplan also has the Christmas spirit. For the past 20 years, the Woodland Hills resident has decorated his single-story home, adding more and more light strings each year. Now, with help from his three children - Kasey, Kellie and Brandon - the home glows with white lights, elves, wreaths, reindeer and an 8-foot snowman that greets visitors from the roof.

The light display is so elaborate, it ``makes the Griswolds jealous,'' Caplan boasts, referring to the fictitious family of the comedy film ``National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.''

Caplan, 49, first started decorating so passers-by could view his home on Oxnard Street before heading up to Candy Cane Lane, a group of lavishly decorated homes and yards along Lubao, Jumilla, Oakdale and Penfield avenues between Oxnard and Martha streets. Now he's become involved in some friendly competition among neighbors on his own street.

``Now it's personal - I have neighbors competing,'' says Caplan. ``I try to liven up our street and now it's becoming an epidemic - our Jewish neighbor is even doing it.''

At the North Hills home of the Indermill family, a 6-foot-high Ferris wheel filled with teddy bears beckons visitors from miles around. Built last year by 83-year-old Miles Indermill, the attraction sits amid a gaily lit forest decorated with reindeer, a rocking horse and a bike-riding Santa.

``I got the bug and wanted to do it,'' says Indermill, a retired general contractor and World War II Purple Heart veteran who helped build Our Lady of the Valley and St. Joseph the Worker Catholic churches, both in Canoga Park.

``I didn't have all this when I was a kid, so I enjoy doing it now. And the little kids go crazy over the Ferris wheel.''

In the spirit of giving, Michael Clark of Winnetka spent more than a week decorating his mother's home. Now the corner house shimmers with illuminated deer, Santa's sleigh, lamp posts, angels, bells and snowflakes. The panoply includes a Nativity scene under a large tree garnished with dozens of lights.

``It's a traffic stopper,'' Clark says. ``It's getting bigger and bigger. I want to turn the area into another Candy Cane Lane.''

Jaime Spangrude, [phone]

jaime.spangrude(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

7 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Keep a close eye on the Grinch at Wes Novotny's home, 22514 Ash Court in Saugus. Not only does he lurk on the front lawn but also in the bushes, on the roof and other surprising places.

Courtesy of Wes Novotny

(2 -- color) At the home of Jeff and Trish Hastert, 14246 Bledsoe St. in Sylmar, thousands of lights augment a dazzling display of Christmas characters and a Nativity scene.

(3 -- color) In Mission Hills, Tony and Nancy Orefice created gingerbread men and candy canes by hand, lending an old-fashioned touch to their display at 10535 Halbrent Ave. The tree and presents on their roof can be seen in closer detail on our cover.

(4 -- cover -- color) All aglow!

Homes are gift wrapped for the holidays

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

(5 -- color) Paul Geyer of 477 Summit Knoll Court in Oak Park says he spent between 80 and 100 hours turning his residence into a winter wonderland.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

(6 -- color) The path to the Granada Hills home of Carol and Terry Winger, at 17556 Ludlow St., is nothing if not well-lighted: More than 130,000 bulbs went into building the spectacle.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

(7 -- color) Tom and Gail Lander, of 22724 Dolorosa St. in Woodland Hills, aimed high with their decorating scheme, wrapping the trees on their front yard in twinkling lights.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer