Q&A with the Shimmer & Shine 2nd Place Home Winner 2024: 116 Mill View Cir, Williamsburg
Q&A with the Shimmer & Shine 2nd Place Home Winner 2024: 116 Mill View Cir, Williamsburg
This family brings the joy of Christmas to a whole new level! They have been decorating for almost a decade now but each year the display has grown in size. You can now see the glow from the main street before turning into the court. This display is both massive and intricate so you will want to walk up to the curb and look carefully at all the decorations on the ground. And don’t forget to look up because Santa and his reindeer are perched on the roof top! If the family is outside they are always happy to talk about their spectacular lights!
Voting took place online from December 8 to 16, 2024. The Shimmer & Shine Holiday Lights Contest & Map has been a cherished WilliamsburgFamilies.com holiday tradition for the past nine years. We’re thrilled to reintroduce the competitive contest part of Shimmer & Shine we haven’t run since—gasp—2019!
Thank you to our Price Sponsors: Busch Gardens & Colonial Williamsburg, Baskin Robbins, Berret’s Seafood Restaurant & Tap House, Penny and a Six Pence, The Spice & Tea Exchange of Williamsburg, The Peanut Shop and Wythe Candy
Keep reading to enjoy this festive family’s quick 10-question Q&A….
1. How long does it usually take you to set up your holiday lights display?
It usually takes about 2 months. We aim to start early October.
2. What inspired you to go all-out with holiday lights? Was there a specific moment or idea that sparked this tradition?
My dad and I both grew up with major light displays and traditions. Downtown McAdenville in NC and an old neighbor, whose light display dwarfed ours, made quite an impression! For a few years, we didn’t do a display for whatever reason. But it all started again after a spark of nostalgia.
3. How many years have you been decorating with more lights than the average home?
This is our 9th consecutive Christmas with what I would consider to be more than average lights!
4. Who takes charge of the decorating process? Is it a family effort, or do you do it solo?
Just about everyone is involved; a whole family affair, but my dad spearheads the effort with he and I doing the bulk of the lights. (keep scrolling – more questions below)
5. Do you have a theme or special inspiration behind this year’s display?
Our theme is based more on traditional display without a lot of electronics and we’re using a lot of throwback things, like Charlie Brown and the Grinch. Many other sub themes too, like Santa’s dog park, a north pole area, but also a more traditional looking flower bed with reindeer and predominately white lights. The inspiration is to make it bring memories back for people of Christmases past.
6. Are there any unique or standout decorations in your display that have a special story behind them that you want people to know?
The stable of the nativity was our first decoration that was purchased years ago. The rest of the nativity display we made by hand, so it has a special meaning to us and it is our favorite part.
7. What’s the reaction been like from your neighbors or the community?
We have had a lot of support from the neighbors and so far, everyone loves it!
8. Do you have any funny or memorable stories from past years while setting up or running your display?
There was a moment when the lights almost stopped. I had moved out of state and my dad wasn’t going to do all the work of the lights alone (because of how much it is). Then, one day, little kids in the neighborhood ran over and asked about the lights and when they would be on… and my dad thought, “Now I must do it, do it for the children.” I drove into town every weekend to help and we got it done. That was a pivotal time for us with the lights. It went from a traditional thing we enjoyed from nostalgia alone to a thing we were fully invested and committed toward each year.
9. Have you added any new features or special touches to your display this year?
Oh yes! There are several penguins, Disney characters, several Peanuts characters, there are some new animals including reindeer, an owl in a tree, a fox, a kangaroo, there’s “Santa’s dog park” with a bunch of dogs that are new. Rudolph on the roof has a red nose this year. The nativity has 9 new figures that we made by hand. There’s also 35,000 more lights this year!
10. What advice would you give to someone who’s thinking of starting a big holiday lights tradition of their own? (tips or tricks)
Starting small is okay, it’s easy to add year by year. Waterproof the strands as best as you can. Use LED strands so you don’t have to run a power source every few strands. Don’t buy too few extension cords. Have some good storage space as well because it isn’t small. Also, take care of what you have. Outdoor decorations take a beating during December; the ground freezes and thaws, storms, occasional snow. If you’re not careful with your stuff, you’ll find yourself having to repurchase things every couple years which impedes the expansion of the display. And have fun with it! It is such a fun tradition to adhere to and just about everyone loves it.
11. Will you be decorating next year?
Absolutely, yes! Even bigger and better than this year!
See More about Shimmer & Shine here! Second Place winners Q&A are coming soon! Here is Q&A for 3rd Place winner & 1st Place Winner
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