It all started in 1846 when an illustration of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert was released with a candle-lit Christmas tree nearby. 36 years later, Edward Johnson created the first electronic light display by hand-wiring 80 red, white and blue light bulbs onto a Christmas tree.
Both of those events were hundreds of years ago, so why do they matter now? Christmas lights are one of the most iconic features of the beloved holiday season. They honor the tradition of warmth and hope during the darkest months of the year.
Now, they are used to create a sense of community and connection where neighborhoods all across town have them strung around houses or some may choose to make shapes with them in their yard. It has turned into a tradition that brings joy, and even a method of friendly competition between neighbors to see who can create the most elaborate display.
Junior Calla Harris goes around her neighborhood to look at Christmas lights people put up with her family each year and greatly values the experience.
“It is very awe-inducing and it is a good way to spend time out of the house during the dreary seasons,” Harris said.
In Lincoln, there are many small local contests, but the biggest is Phillip’s Lincoln Lights. This was started by Phillip Wagoner, and initially, it was just a way to help his family find Christmas lights easier, but he soon realized that other people might like it too.
For its third year in a row, the Holiday Display Contest held by Phillip’s Lincoln Lights and sponsored by Capital Dental will select the best displays around Lincoln to enter into a contest.
This contest has six different categories; Best Animation, Clark Griswold, Best Theme, Crazy Inflatables, Best Traditional and Best Newcomer. The winners are decided by public vote and the first place winner will receive $500, second place gets $200 and third place gets $100.
This year, Phillip’s Lincoln Lights is running a new contest, the Grand Display Contest. This segment is different from the Holiday Contest because it will be overseen by actual judges. The Grand Display Contest has three categories; creativity and originality, overall design and presentation and holiday spirit or “wow factor”.
They make a map of unique house displays around Lincoln and they reassess the houses every year, to verify their spot in the competition.
“The map is formed by starting from scratch each year,” Wagoner said. “I don’t know what previous year’s displays will be running so I verify each one every year. I go out on my own to look for displays and also rely on the Phillip’s Lincoln Lights Facebook community to help verify.”
With the map, they create pre-programmed routes to guide people to the popular houses.
“They are usually about an hour long depending on how long they stop at each one. These are a big hit with people as it gives turn by turn navigation so they don’t have to do it themselves,” Wagoner said.
Aside from light displays at people’s houses, there’s also organizations that hold Christmas light displays. One of the most popular ones is the Lincoln Zoo Lights powered by LES at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo.
Harris is one of many who goes out to experience these displays.
“I do go out of my way to look at Zoo Lights in particular because the event is fun, festive and vibrant which makes the winter less dull,” she says.
They even offer drive-through light shows for convenience. The Nebraska Christmas Lights’ Magical Holiday Display is held at Star City Shores Aquatic Center and the Magical Lights of Lincoln is being held at the Sandhills Global Event Center.
Christmas lights aren’t everybody’s favorite but there’s no denying the magical feeling they bring into the air. Historically and recently, they have been a symbol of light in the darkness of winter and an element of communal celebration.
