Update - Jan 6 2009

The display is now off for the season. A big Thank You to everybody that supported this years display. All the donations for the Make-A-Wish Foundation was $4475.

Update - Dec 28 2008

The last day the display will be running is Monday, Jan 5th

This year has been a lot of fun and work and we are getting ready for next year. Sierra and I hit all the after Christmas sales and bought about 50,000 more lights with some being 75% off! We bought mostly clears since that is what is mostly left after Christmas.

You always get strange looks when you start loading Christmas lights by the case into a shopping cart. Every year I get asked questions from people that think I work there. :) Once you start loading up lights and people realize that you are there to buy them all, they start grabbing a few boxes really fast so you don't take them all.

Update - Dec 24 2008

Many people have been e-mailing us asking how they can make a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Utah. In the past we have only had a donation box in front of the display but now have a donation page for those that want to donate online.

We know that times are tough and nobody should feel obligated to donate either online or at the display. The Christmas light show is a free gift we like to give to the community and the donations is just a bonus.

Update - Dec 20 2008

All the 2008 videos are now online. This years display is not as camera friendly as last years because it is so wide. It is much better in person.

We have collected over $2,000 so far for the Utah Chapter of Make-A-Wish. Thank you everybody!

I had to move this years display because of the HOA (read the faq) and many people are trying to show up at my house to see the lights. I put up a sign in front of the gate to our neighborhood that says the light show is moved and a box with maps to the new location. So far I have had to print over 800 maps!

On my house this year I don't have a single Christmas light on the outside and only have an inflatable Grinch. All the neighbors and people that supported the display think it is hilarious. I am not sure what those people that voted for the gate to be closed think. I want them to know it is all in good fun and have a sense of humor. :)

Update - Dec 16 2008

I woke up at 5:30am so I could get some videos of the display without any cars in it and was surprised at the 5 inches of snow we received! I videoed the display and was able to get one up today. Click Here to visit the page for the 2008 videos. Right now there is only one video which is a new song for this year, Frosty the Snowman!.

More videos will be coming online in the next 24 hours

Christmas is getting closer and the display is getting more busy. It is best to come Tuesday-Thrusday. The Earlier, the better.

So far we have collected $1200 for Make-A-Wish! Thanks!

Update - Dec 11 2008

Things are going good with the dispaly. I am trying to finish up one more song (Frosty the Snowman) and then I should be able to video it and post them.

This years display has a donation box for the Utah Chapter of Make-A-Wish like we did last year. So far we have collected over $600! Thanks!

Update - Dec 6 2008

Still working on a few more songs. Be sure to check out the Glass Christmas Tree that my brothers and I made.

Update - Dec 4 2008

We now have 4 songs running and I will be adding a few more. We plan on recording some videos in about a week or so after I get all the songs programmed and fine tuned. I am not sure how well the videos are going to look since the display is very wide but we will try.

A lot of people seem to be confused since I have moved the display. Since the gate to our neighborhood is now closed, I have had many people buzz me at the gate wanting to get in to see the lights. I will be putting up a sign outside the gate with directions to the new location.

Update - Dec 3 2008

We now have 3 songs running and more on the way. We will be adding video in about a week or so after we finish up the rest of the songs.

Update - Dec 1 2008 - Display Running!

The Display is up and running and Dec 1st will be the first night it will be on. Right now only one song is playing and more will be added on Dec 2nd. Tune to 99.9 FM when you are near the display to hear the music.

Update - Nov 26 2008

Not sure if we will be up and running by Friday Nov 28th. I have been working on another project for the Festival of Trees and it has taken way more time than I thought. We should be running for sure by Dec 1st though. As soon as the display is live we will let everybody know on the web site.

Update - Nov 22 2008

Chris and I are hard at work on the display. We were able to wrap 20+ trees with some of them being over 20 feet tall! Ace Rents was gracious enough to lend us a man lift to get to the high parts of the trees. We had to do a major power upgrade including installing a transformer and 20 dedicated outlets and breakers. We have close to 150,000 Lights this year!

We are shooting to have the display up and running the Friday, Nov 28th.

Update - Nov 9 2008

Set up is going good so far with the display. I have to give a big thanks to Chris who is a 17 year old teenager that approached me and asked if he could help with the display. We have wrapped quite a few trees so far and have a lot more work to do. He has been a huge help so a big thanks to Chris for helping out.

Here is a picture of the location

New Location for 2008

The new location for the Christmas Light show will be at my Parents House in Lindon, Utah.

The Christmas Light show almost did not happen this year. I had a few locations picked out but many of them were not ideal because of parking issues. My house was perfect because there was a lot of room for cars to watch the show but unfortunately my neighbors did not want it there (See the story below for more details).

I will try and update this site as I work on the display to let everybody know what is going on.

Neighborhood says No for 2008

New location to be picked for 2008

As some of you may know, we live in a Gated Community of about 33 houses. Traffic picked up for 2008 which caused some traffic problems. A few weeks into December we started to have a team of 3-4 people managing traffic which worked out nicely. We were able to have cars wait at the Gate and allow only so many cars in so it did not block the street. Neighbors were able to pass and get to their homes without much inconvenience. Other concerns though were raised related to Safety & Privacy. Most people move to a Gated Community to be secluded from others for various reasons. It came down to not wanting a bunch of strangers in the neighborhood. Many people want the Gate closed 24/7 which would mean that most people could not come into the neighborhood to see the Christmas Lights. A vote was taken and 11 votes wanted the gate to be open during Christmas and 13 votes wanted it to be closed.

I totally respect their decision but I am a little saddened by the outcome. There have been a few people come forth that have volunteered to have it at their home in other parts of Utah Valley. Moving a display of this size is quite a bit of work since you need to do major power upgrades. There will be a Christmas Display running for 2008, and we will update this web site when we choose what direction we will be going in.

A Big Thank You to everybody that supported the display.

2007 Display is over

A Big Thank You to all those that supported us in 2007.

The Total that everybody donated to Make-A-Wish was $10,219.97. Thank You!
Click here to find out what wishes were granted because of you!

The 2007 Display was a lot of fun and work but well worth it. For 2007 we had 176 channels and over 45,000 lights! We received quite a bit of traffic this year and had to have a crew of 3 people at all times managing the traffic.

For 2007 we were collecting donations for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Utah. 100% of all the money collected in the donation box in the front of our display went to the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant the wishes of children who have an illness that is life-threatening. The Total that everybody donated to Make-A-Wish was $10,219.97! Thank You! Click here to hear about the two wishes that were granted because of our visitors.

Click here to visit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Utah to learn more about this worthwhile cause or to make a donation.

Songs for 2007 were
Amazing Grace - Yule (Download for 99cents from Amazon.com)
Music Box Dancer - DJ Schwede (You can buy it from iTunes)
Overture (Miracle on 34th Street) - Bruce Broughton
Carol of the Bells - Monique Danielle (buy the song for 99cents here)
Winter Wonderland - Alexia Phillips
Jingle Bells - Master Tone (out of print but you can buy it used at amazon.com)

Questions?
You can e-mail Richard Holdman at christmas@holdman.com