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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.

To make the cut, a home must be nominated by several different readers.

My time-honored test: Would you take house guests to see the decorated home after Christmas dinner?

If the answer is yes, get in touch.

SPECIAL REQUEST

Could you "list regulars"--families who have been on this list for years--please let me know if your display is out again and note any major additions?

When you do, please include your name, address and an e-mail address or phone number.

This will save me literally hundreds of miles of driving and time I can use to check out homes new to the list.

GRAND SCHEDULE

Nominations must be in by 5 p.m. on Dec. 6.

Starting Dec. 7, I'll spend several evenings visiting new houses nominated.

Note: Houses with lights off when I visit, which will be between dusk and 11 p.m., won't be considered.

I'll share the completed list Dec. 13. Then on Dec. 15, I'll feature one home as an example of the best and brightest.

Rob Hedelt: 540/374-5415
Email: rhedelt@freelancestar.com

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