By KAREN KLENKE

For The Daily News

NIAGARA, Wis. — Joe Zychowski began wrapping his Christmas present to Niagara every year in September.

Strings of old-fashioned Christmas lights and ideas grew in Joe’s mind since 1963.

So it began. Joe and Jean were raising their family — daughter, Sharon and son, Gary — in a brick home on Madison Street. Joe was a papermill worker and Jean would soon be giving all her energy to children in the Niagara schools.

When their day was over, Joe continued to plan his yearly gift. He dreamed, he developed pieces in his workshop and collected everything Christmas he could contrive.

Joe and Jean were faith-filled, so one lovely area of the gift was the grotto he developed for the scene of the Holy Family. Then the fun began … Everything that would bring a smile began appearing each year. It soon was a showcase for all to come to see; the home wrapped in 4,000 lights each evening during the holidays.

Vehicle would pass slowly in front of the home. There was the life-sized Santa, swinging from a cable that seemed like it was in mid-air. Santa, like the other Christmas gifts, were made of wood right in Joe’s workshop. There were Disney characters popping up with flashing lights, bringing joy to all who watched.

This Christmas gift required technical planning and the acrobatics of this energetic man, as he was the one who knew what had to happen to create it perfectly.

Joe says the last year of this Christmas gift to Niagara was in 2021. For five decades he gave this gift. He loved every minute of it.

Now we say, “Thank You for the memories, Joe! Thank you for caring for us.” The props and lights are now tucked away in Joe’s workshop. If time had not caught up with him, he would be crawling on his roof again this year.

Joe and Jean have been together for 70 years. Joe will celebrate his 91st birthday soon. Jean is also 91. Joe and Jean, a loving, prayerful couple, are now living a quiet life together.