If you’re visiting Manoa Valley Theatre, just look across the street and you’ll see Mike Suehiro’s Christmas display for his grandchildren.

"It’s not the holidays without kids," Suehiro explained. "If you don’t have children, you don’t know how magical Christmas can be. Grandkids can really change your life."

He started decorating the outside of his house for Halloween and Christmas around the time his first grandson, Jordan, now 13, was born. Then came Parker, 7, and Preston, 5.

"It’s Preston’s job to turn on all the lights," said Suehiro, who delivers magazines to stores.

The grandchildren have tried to put up lights at their own homes, but there’s not as much room as at Suehiro’s house, so they really look forward to their visits with their grandparents about three or four times a week. (Their grandmother is Suehiro’s wife, Susan.)

"They ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ when they see the lights come on," he said. "They really get excited.

"And I know the neighborhood enjoys it, too, because joggers and others passing by will stop and tell me their children or grandchildren like it, and I’ve recognized some of the same folks over the years. We’re on the main road, so anyone going into the valley can see it."

In fact, Sarah Ward, house manager for Manoa Valley Theatre for the past 12 years, says theater patrons comment on the display at least two or three times a week.

"They say ‘Ooh, it’s the Halloween guy’ or ‘Ooh, it’s the Christmas guy’ and they think it looks very festive. I think it looks great and I really like spirited people who take the time to decorate like that."

Suehiro enjoys working with his hands. He made several of the display items, including a gold foil star with rotating lights, the moon and penguin above his garage, and a hand-painted portrait of Olaf the snowman from the Disney movie "Frozen" above the garage.

"Sometimes the grandkids will give me ideas about what to make," he said, "and sometimes they help me put up the decorations, too. Some of the items, like the Snoopy and Mickey and Minnie Mouse sculptures, were given to me by friends."

A colorful train set and a plastic snowman have been a part of the holiday scene since he started decorating about 13 years ago. ("You can’t find those anymore," he said.)

Although he’s added items over the years, the basic display has remained the same and Suehiro’s decorating philosophy is to keep things simple and not too overwhelming.

It takes about two days to put up all the decorations, starting about a week after Halloween. He leaves the display up until just after Christmas.

Being on the main road in Manoa and in plain sight has its risks.

"A 5-foot, lighted Darth Vader mannequin I made for Halloween got stolen," Suehiro said. "The kids cried when they saw it was gone. They really liked it, so I might make a new one."

He said he’s not worried his three grandkids will outgrow the holiday tradition.

"Well, there might be another grandchild on the way, so I might be doing this for a while," Suehiro said with a smile.

See Mike Suehiro’s Christmas display for yourself at 2832 E. Manoa Road.