Long Island Dad Turns Holiday Lights Passion Into Joyful Business

BAY SHORE, NY — The old adage, "love what you do and you'll never work a day in your life," describes a day at the office for Bay Shore's Pete Bartling.

Bartling has always loved Christmas lights. So much that he turned his love for holiday magic into a business installing holiday and year-round lighting for residential and commercial properties in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

"I have always loved Christmas lights. I started with my own house, adding more and more lights each year," Bartling told Patch. "Eventually, I created a Christmas light show that was synchronized to music, which brought me such joy seeing people stopping at the house to watch it each Christmas season."

After he moved to a new home where he couldn't install his Christmas light display, Bartling decided the show must go on, and started DLG Holiday Lights, bringing year-round cheer to Suffolk and Nassau counties.

The company specializes in holiday seasonal and permanent lighting for all kinds of properties.

"I was no longer able to put on the Christmas light show, so that’s when I decided to create DLG Holiday Lights as a way to not only be around my love of Christmas lights, but also be able to share that with others," Bartling told Patch.

Bartling managed to incorporate his love for his three children into the company name, with DLG representing their names—Delaney, Lyla and Grayson—who he raised on Long Island, where he moved to from New Jersey after college.

It's Bartling's love for community and family that makes being a small business owner more than just, well, a business.

"It's such a great feeling after you install Christmas lights on someone’s house and they reach out to tell you how beautiful they are, how much they enjoy coming home from work and seeing the bright lights shining on their home," Bartling said. "Then there's my favorite—when they tell you how excited their kids are to see me each year because they love the lights on their house so much."

Although Bartling acknowledges DLG "isn't the biggest company around," they offer just about any light service anyone could need.

For holiday lights, DLG offers custom-designed installation of professional grade LED lights, maintenance, service, removal and storage.

The fully-insured small business also offers permanent lighting, something Bartling says "started getting very popular over past few years."

DLG's permanent lighting offerings include individually controlled commercial grade LED lights that can change colors and animations "with a few clicks on phone," durable, weather-resistant tracks, warm white and full-color options that sync with music and professional installation, all backed by a warranty.

For Bartling, bringing beauty and fun to homes and buildings doesn't have to be reserved for the big holidays. He finds joy in helping customers customize their "vibe for every season, celebration, or just because."

From all types of parties, Game Day lights that match team colors, "everyday elegance" and security lighting, Bartling says there are "endless possibilities."

"We strive to be one of the best and truly focus on providing each of our customers with a pristine professional installation," Bartling said. "It's not just an installation to us, it's a long-lasting relationship we are building with each of our customers for years to come and providing the joy of Christmas each season to them, their families and their friends."

DLG Holiday Lights can be reached via phone, 631-605-7274; Email, dlg@dlgholidaylights.com; and on Instagram @dlgholidaylights.