Time to nominate the best holiday light displays

WHILE most of us were having that second piece of pumpkin pie or heading out to Christmas sales, they were working.

The Coopers and Simpsons in Stafford County. The Shanks and Clines in Spotsylvania County. The Hundleys in King George County and others all over the region.

They're bright-lights fans, and each year they spend days or weeks rigging up lights, decorations, figures and other decorations as part of their annual Christmas displays.

Those families make my holiday by being part of my annual "Grand Holiday Displays" feature that I'm kicking off again today.

It's the 19th year for the list, which will be filled with some of the area's most interestingly decorated homes.

This isn't my list; it belongs to you readers.

That's because I come up with it by asking you to help me by spotting the best displays and passing their whereabouts on to me.

I'm not looking for the run-of-the-mill houses. I'm talking about houses with thousands of lights, layers of decorations or something that makes them unique.

Because it's getting harder and harder to get around to see all these houses, I'm trying to limit new homes on the list to Fredericksburg and Stafford and Spotsylvania counties.

But I will continue to list houses that have been regulars in a few other communities over the years.

A new wrinkle this year: I'm cooperating with a Holiday Lights contest online at fredericksburg.com.

If you enter that contest by uploading a holiday lights image to the site, putting yourself in contention for some great prizes, you'll automatically get into the pool of houses I'll consider for my list.

You also still can contact me directly, using the information in the attached box.

Nominate your own house, that of a neighbor or friend, or simply one you notice.

Please, don't call. I get too many of these to handle them by phone.

When you do get in touch, please provide an address, a brief description of the display, directions to the house and a daytime phone number.

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To nominate homes for the Grand Holiday Displays contest, e-mail rhedelt@freelancestar.com, fax to 540/373-8455 or mail to 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401.

Enter the holiday lights contest online at fredericks burg.com.

Date published: 11/29/2009

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