In the rush and stress of the holiday season, sometimes it’s difficult to dig deep and find that so-called holiday spirit. Which is why one of my favorite things to do is pile the family in the car and drive around to see local light displays. I don’t mean the ones you have to wait in line for two hours and pay an admission fee to see.
These light displays are put on by everyday Charlotte area families who love the holidays and find a way to give back during the season. We spoke with several of these local families to find out the story behind their amazing light displays and listed all of our favorites so you can map out your own holiday light tours.
When and how did you get into doing an annual light display at your home?
Harbin Family
My dad always put up Christmas lights growing up. We bought our first home in 2003 and decided to keep the tradition going by putting up about 500 icicle lights on the front gutter that year. Each year I have added a little more. When my son and daughter were born, I really started growing my display. My tradition is to purchase lights the day after Christmas to catch the sales. It’s like my very own Black Friday. Every Christmas Eve I go to the stores to check out the light selection. This determines the plan of attack for December 26th. I wake up early and line up at the doors at 6:00am. Everything is generally 50% to 75% off so this is the time to stock up.
Jim Miller aka South Charlotte Santa
We relocated to Charlotte 17 years ago and it started shortly thereafter. While we always put up lights, it had always been pretty simple. Our first Christmas here, the house across the street had a large display and my son (who was 9 at the time) said “Dad, we’ve got to beat them.” It has grown since then.
The candy canes came by as a result of an article in the Charlotte Observer mentioning the lights in an article. Because of the added traffic and attention it generated, my wife bought a couple of boxes of the small candy canes and handed them out to the cars on Christmas Eve. Last year Santa handed out over 12,000.
How long does it take to set everything up for a season? How much would you estimate your power bill increases during December?
Harbin Family
I start decorating in late October. This year was difficult due to all the rain. I have put in about 40 hours into my display, mainly because I do it all on my own. However, I did need some assistance from some friends to raise the 22ft Mega Tree I added this year. My power bill increased by $150 last December. I use just about all LED lights which helps with energy savings. Kind of funny talking about energy savings when I cover my house with lights though.
Jim Miller aka South Charlotte Santa
The set up time is rather difficult to estimate, but I would say that it is somewhere between 60 and 80 hours, but it depends. Usually during October I try to come up with and idea for and build something new for the display. During November, it is a few hours a day after work and most Saturdays and Sundays. After the lights go on, there are more hours put in to tweaking it.
Allen Family
We put on the light display each year for a couple reasons. First, we love the reaction that we get from people that come to see the show. Whether it is a round of applause after a song or little kids in pajamas hanging out of the sunroof singing “Let it go” at the top of their lungs, it just makes you smile. Second, it creates an opportunity for some quality family time. Our kids are all in college so it is great when they come home on weekends to help set up or send a text saying they found a great song that we need to add to the show.
It takes us 8 – 10 full days to put up the lights each year. The most time consuming part is connecting the over 2 miles of extension cords and 1 mile of computer network cable. Everything must be plugged in just right for the show to work properly. In addition we spend about 200 – 300 hours over the course of the year sequencing the music for the show. It takes about 5 hours to program each minute of actual show time.
The one fact that we are most proud of is that the show is totally free. There is no admission, no donations, simply a free gift to the public. Pick your evening, bring your friends and family, enjoy the show, and pay the free Christmas cheer forward.
Troy of “Lights at the Quarter”
I was absolutely fascinated with Carson Williams’ video that went viral in 2005 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0kGkiT3Qro). I knew one day I had to do the same. Years later, my partner gave me a “starter kit” as a birthday present, and we started doing our musical light display in 2012.
In the past, we generally start working on our show in the late summer. Programming the lights for that season is the first priority and building any new props. Then around October we start putting the props and lights out each weekend to be ready for our premiere which has always been Thanksgiving night.
Before we converted the majority of our display to LED, we noticed an increase in our power bill, especially the second year. However, it’s hard for us to accurately gauge the exact increase since our heating is also electric.
Duke Energy’s “level pay plan” is a wonderful thing. That’s one question we don’t have an answer to and it has always been an area we aren’t too concerned about. It is what it is.
Are your neighbors supportive?
Jim Miller aka South Charlotte Santa
For the most part, I would say very much so.
Allen Family
We have fabulous, very understanding neighbors. Many schedule their Christmas parties to correspond with the light show times. We purposely limit our show times to 3 or 4 twenty minutes show a night so that the traffic is limited to a couple hour period each day. This is one area where we really ask for help from the spectators. Many light displays have been shut down due to traffic issues. When you visit the show we ask that people park legally, don’t block driveways, and don’t drive in people’s yards. If there is no place to park, be patient. The next show starts each half hour and the traffic will clear.
Troy of Lights at the Quarter
Very!! Our immediate neighbors on both sides are incredibly supportive. One even helped us to jump start a viewer’s car that died while watching the show this past weekend. Many other neighbors stop and talk with us often during our set up to tell us how much they enjoy the shows, and even bring their friends and family to see it.
Are you friends with any of the other local families who set up light displays? Do you guys get together and share ideas?
Troy of LATQ
Most definitely! We collectively came together as a group on Facebook in 2013 by a friend who knew another friend who does a show, and so on, until it grew into the group we are today. There are 25 members, but unfortunately 4 of them could not do a show this year. In our Facebook group we share ideas, offer help, suggestions, and get together a few times a year as well. (All the other displays we have listed on our page are of those members in the Charlotte area.)
Can you tell us more about your chosen charity?
Harbin Family
Make A Wish holds a place near and dear in my heart. I have a handicapped sister “Carleigh” who passed at a young age. Make A Wish granted her wish by sending our family to Disney Land. This is the 3rd year that we have taken donations to Make A Wish, which I started in Carleigh’s memory. Make A Wish sent Xander and his family to Disney World this past spring. His family has challenged our community to remember Xander by “paying it forward” and performing acts of kindness. I think it’s really cool how the donations we collected over the past 2 years helped grant Xander’s wish as well as many others in North Carolina. What a great way to pay it forward and grant more wishes! (For those who aren’t familiar with Xander’s story, please see it here or click through here if you would like to donate)
The Miller Family also collects donations for St. Jude’s.
Anything additional you would like to share?
Harbin Family
The month of December is my favorite time of year. The excitement I see in all the children’s eyes when they see the lights is why I add more to my display each year. This has definitely turned into a hobby for me and it takes more time each year as I add to the display. My addition this year was the Mega Tree and synchronizing it to music. I’m still deciding on my additions for next year. I recently purchased a blow mold of Santa’s sleigh pulled by reindeer. I would love to make it fly over the cul-de-sac. You will have to wait and see next year!
Here is the full roundup of local light shows. Please let us know if you have an addition!
A Sweitzers Christmas
1001 Sunnyview Circle Matthews, NC 28105 (107.3 FM)
Bay Hill Club Drive in Providence Country Club (90.9FM)
Coleman Lights
7661 Natalie Commons Dr. Denver, NC 28037 (107.3 FM)
Fallatt’s Charlotte Christmas
3801 Maple Forest Ct. Charlotte, NC 28270 (90.1 FM)
Five Alarm Lights
1001 Rosewater Ln. Indian Trail, NC 28079 (94.3 FM)
Fountainbrook Fallatts
1028 Fountainbrook Dr. Indian Trail, NC 28079
Garden Oak Holiday Lights
4026 Garden Oak Dr. Indian Trail, NC 28079 (94.5 FM)
Harbin Family Lights
Summer House Court in Cameron Wood
Huntersville Christmas Lights
13513 Melrose Meadow Ln. Huntersville, NC 28078 (89.3 FM)
Lights at the Quarter
3003 Swanquarter Dr. Charlotte, NC 28262 (101.3 FM)
Nikita’s Christmas Wonderland
1417 Deer Spring Court, Indian Trail, SC
Swan Christmas Lights
16932 Birkdale Commons Pkwy. Huntersville, NC 28078 (89.3 FM)
South Charlotte Santa
7323 Sherwood Forest Drive (just off Colony Rd)
Zimnowski Light Show
15419 Hugh Mcauley Rd. Huntersville, NC 28078 (87.9 FM)
Jackson Family Light Show
7012 Tea Olive Rd, Waxhaw, NC (105.1 FM)
Hillside Drive in Myers Park
Impressive display of hundreds of “light balls”
Eastover Home
317 Eastover Road
Not a light display per se, but this gorgeous Eastover home has several 40+ foot blow up characters that are really fun to see if you’re in the neighborhood!
