This story was reported for Patch Media on Dec. 1, 2017.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — On any given night in December, you’ll find a crowd of people at Christmas on Knob Hill. Children flock to the area to give Santa Claus their wish lists while parents snap photos to share on Facebook of the massive display of more than 100,000 glistening lights. The festive display also draws visitors from beyond San Diego County: folks from Vietnam, Macedonia and Lebanon are among those who have heard about the holiday attraction and wanted to see it for themselves.
But, Christmas on Knob Hill isn’t a paid destination or hosted by a major business. Rather, it’s a display at a quaint home on a hill in the city of San Marcos, about 25 minutes north of downtown San Diego. The man behind it all is Bill Gilfillen, a Vietnam War veteran who many years ago took it upon himself to create the Christmas wonderland.
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