UPDATES WILL BE POSTED HERE ABOUT OUR 2025 CHRISTMAS LIGHT SHOW to music located in Harker Heights, Texas (Fort Hood area).
URGENT! Read the Know Before You Go Section BEFORE coming out! We have had far too many incidents in the past. If you aren’t going to read this section, DO NOT COME OUT!
Make sure to bookmark this page to keep up with the latest news.
FACEBOOK PAGE: Facebook keeps removing our posts, marking them as SPAM, and threatening to delete our personal accounts; therefore, we rarely post on the Facebook page. You can follow Bridget’s personal profile and TikTok for updates or subscribe to our newsletter for updates.
YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Carlson Light Display
TIKTOK: @CarlsonLights (not active, used as a backup) & @nuttyhiker (I will be posting our Christmas content on this one from now on and will also go live from here)
Know Before You Go! Read this BEFORE coming out!
In 2023 we had the worst year in the 14 years we had been doing this, with people leaving trash, just dropping off their kids and using our light show as a babysitter, throwing cigarettes under our truck, leaning on our (and neighbors’) vehicles that are parked in the street, entering the driveway area, and even worse, coming up to our porch for pictures, which caused our security system to go nuts, not turning off headlights, and much more. We almost ended the show for good. In fact, we opted to not do a 2024 show or even decorate.
We have cameras set up that capture every inch of our property and our neighbors across the street so we can catch those who are leaving trash and causing destruction of property or who are trespassing.
With all that said, the following should be common sense, but we have come to the conclusion we need to make sure this is in black and white so there is no confusion:
PARKING – DO NOT park directly in front of the house on our side of the street OR directly across the street in front of the walk-up viewing area (when it is operational, you will see cones), in the middle of the street, in front of driveways, or diagonally on corners. You can also park at Skipcha Elementary and walk down if parking along the street is unavailable. The seating area will only be open on specific dates and will be on the corner of the lawn at our neighbor’s house across the street from us (DO NOT park in front of this area, as you will block the view of those who walk up). They are our biggest supporters, so DO NOT leave trash behind, and please respect their property.
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📸 PHOTO – OP GINGERBREAD YARD: Unfortunately, we did not have time this year to do a photo op area.
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WALK-UP VIEWING AREA is directly across the street at our neighbor’s house and only open during specific dates; do not enter their yard outside of these dates (to be determined), as it will be considered trespassing. Please stay to the Tundra side of their tree (see below if you need a visual). You can park at Skipcha Elementary and walk down (about a 1/4 mile walk). If you walk up, please bring a radio to listen to the music and be respectful of our neighbors by packing out everything you pack in (take your trash with you). We are a busy street this time of year, so please do not stand in the street or allow children to play in the street. Animals are not allowed on their property.
📟 We will have the speaker on for most Friday and Saturday night shows unless otherwise noted.
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PETS/ANIMALS – I can’t believe we actually have to post this, but 2023 brought out the worst kind of people, and for the first time in 14 years, we had this happen… If you decide to bring your pet with you, KEEP THEM ON A LEASH AND OFF OF PEOPLE’S PROPERTY!!!! The leash needs to be 6 ft or shorter, and you must be in control of them at all times; they should not leave your side or interfere with others. PICK UP AFTER YOUR PET, and take their waste with you! DO NOT allow your pet to run free in our neighbor’s yard, our yard, or in the street. Like most cities, Harker Heights does have a leash law, and you are not special, despite what your Mama told you. PETS/ANIMALS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE WALK-UP VIEWING AREA OR IN THE PHOTO OP AREA. Keep them in the street area or in your vehicle with you. You can thank the person who decided to bring their dog and allow it to run up to people, run all over the yard, get up in kids’ faces, and force families to leave. For liability reasons, they are no longer allowed on our property or our neighbor’s property in the walk-up viewing area.
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GARAGE/DRIVEWAY AREA: NEW THIS YEAR!!!! LOOK TOWARDS THE GARAGE DURING THE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT SHOWS!!!! This year during the Friday & Saturday night shows, you will notice an animated Christmas scene that plays over the garage area. DO NOT ENTER THE DRIVEWAY AREA. We have a high-performance projector in the driveway, and motion detectors with alarms are in use. DO NOT be that person that trips the alarm and is arrested for trespassing in front of everyone. This is not an area to do photo ops. All photos need to be taken from the street.
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✅ Do NOT block driveways
✅ Do not park directly in front of the house on our side of the street OR directly across the street as that is the walk-up viewing area
✅ Do not walk into the yard or driveway (or allow your kids to). We have so many trip hazards and things that could easily pierce you, not only do you risk damaging our property but also causing serious injury to yourself. One year, we had a kid scratch our truck to the tune of $700. Security cameras are in use.
✅ Do not come to our porch unless you are dropping something off or we are expecting you. We are tired of having our movies and family time interrupted by the motion detector because people want to take pictures and videos up on our porch or try and get into the yard. The porch is boring; you will get better pictures from the street.
✅ Do not lean or allow your children to lean on the fencing. They are used for decoration only and have rebar holding them up.
✅ Do not honk your horn at those parked or blocking your view! Be mindful of our neighbors and those around you. We will shut off the show if this happens, and it will not restart until the next show time.
✅ TURN OFF YOUR HEADLIGHTS once you have parked. Leaving them on blinds others trying to watch, and our neighbors don’t appreciate the extra lighting.
✅ The light show is NOT your babysitter. Do not drop your kids off and leave! If you need a babysitter, please get in touch with us before dropping them off. We require an upfront payment of $1000 per hour per kid. We charge $100 per minute/per kid for every minute you are late. CPS and the cops are called for abandonment if you are more than five minutes late. Cash only =)
✅ Do not lean on vehicles that are not yours or allow your children to crawl on vehicles that do not belong to you (I can’t believe I have to put this on here).
✅ Take all trash and cigarette butts with you! Stop throwing them under our vehicles, in the road, and in our neighbor’s yard. We are not your trash can!
✅ We have a 20 ft Pixel Mega Tree. Due to its size, the further away you are, the better it will look. The best viewing will be for those parked on Tundra.
✅ Please be mindful of our neighbors across the street. They are one of our biggest supporters here in the neighborhood. Don’t be “that guy” that blocks their driveway so they cannot get in or out or leave your trash in their yard. If their driveway gets blocked, we will shut off the show
✅ Smile! You are on camera! Security cameras are in use for the protection of our property.
✅ We now have a microphone that allows us to speak over the music in real time. Don’t be the vehicle/person who must be called out for being inconsiderate.
LATEST NEWS FOR THE 2025 Christmas Light Show
IF WE HAVE TO CANCEL OR DELAY A SHOW, THAT INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED HERE. Always check before coming out. Our Facebook Page is under attack by Facebook, and they are removing posts, stating they are SPAM, and threatening to delete our personal accounts and any pages attached to them. We will be limiting posts to our Facebook page because of this. You can, however, follow Bridget’s page, and she will post there as she can.
December 24: CHRISTMAS EVE SHOW INFO!
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SHOWTIMES: 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, & 9pm.
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LIVE BROADCAST: I will go live on my TikTok (@nuttyhiker) AND YouTube for the 6pm show for those who would like to view the show but not deal with the traffic or who live out of the area.
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GRINCH APPEARANCE: The Grinch will be available for pictures on the side of the house (there will be no photography lighting set up) at random times between 6pm and 8pm (but should be there for the entire length of the 6pm show).
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CHRISTMAS CARDS: We would still love a Christmas card! We will have some with us tonight to exchange, or you can drop it off in the donation/card box at the end of the driveway (leave your address if you’d like one back from us).
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Please see the Know Before You Go section above before coming out.
WE ARE GRANDPARENTS!!!
Our oldest daughter just delivered our first granddaughter 16 weeks early! Hazel, aka Cindy-Lou Who, is the absolute cutest thing we have ever seen! If you are cleaning out your baby girl’s stuff before the holidays, we’d love to have it so we can give it to Mom and Dad and be able to keep some stuff here as well.
We’d also appreciate any baby or children’s books, as we read to her almost every day when we visit her in the NICU. You can leave the items in the side driveway next to the house (where the RV used to be parked; see pictures below). I will leave some totes out, and we GREATLY appreciate it (please message us with your address if you do leave something; we would love to properly thank you with a card)!
We know it is a while before she gets to come home, but we’d like to take whatever stress we can off of the parents so everything is ready when Hazel gets to break out of the NICU. Anything that cannot be used between our two houses will be donated.
And with the birth of a grandchild, that just guaranteed the show will continue for years to come, even if some years it is just one massive static display. 😊 If you’d like to thank her for securing the show for years to come, just leave a note addressed to Cindy-Lou Who in the white mailbox at the end of the driveway. We will make sure Mom & Dad get it!
DROP OFF A CHRISTMAS CARD WHILE YOU’RE HERE:
Bridget loves collecting Christmas cards from our family, friends, and visitors every year and assembles them into a book she displays during the holidays. We have a Christmas Card drop box at the end of the driveway (where the driveway & yard meet) where you can leave us a Christmas card from yourself or your family. Just pull the knob on the door to access the slot to drop it in. If you put a return address, Bridget will mail you one back! We also love getting notes, letters, and drawings =)
If you’d like to leave a card for the newest addition to the family, please address it to Cindy Lou-Who and we will make sure Mom and Dad get it!
The 2021 crowd really came through and still holds the record at 43 cards! Can the 2025 crowd beat this record?!
Donations
If you wish to make a donation directly to us to help offset the costs of all the lights and props, you can do so through Cash App or PayPal. If you would like to make a donation to a charity in our honor, we ask that you make a donation to Disabled American Veterans.
ABOUT OUR 2025 CHRISTMAS LIGHT SHOW:
Feel free to walk or drive by! Our Christmas light show is roughly 50 minutes long this year. We have an intermission between showtimes where the lights are steadily on with no music.
2025 Christmas Light Show Dates:
December 1-24
There will be no show as of right now on Christmas Night as we will be spending it with family. If this changes, we will post that info here and on our Facebook.
2025 Christmas Light Show Times:
Dec 1 – 20 and December 22 & 23
Sunday-Thursday: 7 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., & 8 p.m.
Dec 21
6pm, 7pm, & 8pm (possibly a 9pm show—Santa will be driving by in a fire truck sometime through the night). Sorry, we don’t have an ETA, but the City of Harker Heights will release a tracker the night of. Be forewarned that parking fills up quickly with many people staying until he passes by. If you want a good parking spot and plan to wait for Santa to pass by, get here for the 6pm show. The walk-up viewing area will be open as weather permits.
Dec 24
6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm
Grinch will be out and about between 6pm and 8pm at random; I will also be going live on TikTok for the 6pm show.
Location
428 Winter Sun Dr. in Harker Heights
Cost:
We keep getting asked how much it costs to attend. Guys, we are just a house in a regular ole’ subdivision that loves Christmas lights and tries to be the Griswolds every year. We have been lovingly called the Texas Griswolds by friends and family due to the fact that we had an actual Griswold moment one year when we did the neighborhood-only showing. We went to plug in to turn everything on, and nothing happened. After about 10 minutes, I walked inside again and looked at the wall; the light switch that controlled the outlet was off. Anyway, It’s FREE y’all =)
2025 Christmas Music Lineup:
Our song lineup varies from year to year. Most songs will be Christmas-related, but we always try to include a religious song, a funny/parody song, a popular song of the year (or one that is trending on social media), and typically a rock song. This year, we are sticking to mostly Christmas songs with one rock song thrown in.
<<OUR INTRO>>
Countdown
It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas
Christmas Vacation
Toy Sack
The Grinch
Let it go
Carol of the Bells
Thunderstruck (by AC/DC, be forewarned this has a brief moment on the MEGA tree that shows a silhouette of a stripper. We’ve seen a lot worse in children’s cartoons and movies, so we chose to leave it in)
It’s the most wonderful time of the year
Frosty
Santa is back in town
Santa’s coming to town
Mary did you know
White Christmas
God Bless the USA
House on Christmas Street
<<12-minute intermission before next show; lights will be stead on for pictures>>
Radio Station For Music
88.1 FM
Walk-Up Viewing Area
We have a dedicated walk-up viewing area across the street from us in our neighbor’s yard that will be available during the dates listed below. Ensure to stay to the Tundra side of the tree in their yard and within the coned area (see picture below for viewing area). Do not enter their driveway or other areas of their yard, and remember to take all trash with you. We will have a speaker set up, weather permitting. Animals are NOT allowed in the walk-up viewing area or on their property. You use the walk-up viewing area at your own risk. Entering the walk-up viewing area outside of the dates listed below will be considered trespassing.
WALK-UP VIEWING AREA DATES:
December 6th
December 12th
December 13th
December 19th
December 20th
December 21st —(Santa will be driving by in a fire truck sometime through the night). Sorry, we don’t have an ETA, but the City of Harker Heights will release a tracker the night of. Be forewarned that parking fills up quickly with many people staying until he passes by. If you want a good parking spot and plan to wait for Santa to pass by, get here for the 6pm show. The walk-up viewing area will be open as weather permits.
December 24th- Grinch will be out and about between 6pm and 8pm at random; I will also be going live on TikTok for the 6pm show.
Parking
Parking along the street is limited; if you come during a busy time, be prepared to park at the school and walk down. Do not park in front of our house on our side of the street OR directly across the street in front of the viewing area. Also, once you are parked, TURN OFF YOUR HEADLIGHTS! I cannot stress this enough! Do not block driveways, park on corners, or park in the middle of the street. If you cannot find parking, please park at Skipcha Elementary and walk down to the Walk-Up Viewing Area when it is open.
GINGERBREAD YARD PHOTO OP INFO
+++++SORRY THIS IS NOT AVAILABLE THIS YEAR+++++.
New this year, we have a walk-in Gingerbread Yard Photo Opportunity that will be open on the weekends as we have time available to go out there. You are free to take pictures any time in front of the display outside of the front fencing area where the arch is. DO NOT trespass on our neighbor’s lawn to get a better view from the side or attempt to enter the area. We are watching the cameras and have motion alarms set up. If you are caught trespassing, we will press charges and immediately shut the show off. You will have your pictures plastered on our Facebook. Don’t be THAT person. (Can you tell what we have to deal with every year, lol).
If the gate is closed or you do not see us set up next to it, the photo op area is closed. Do not enter any area inside the fenced-in area or climb on the retaining wall. This is considered trespassing, and we will press charges (high-resolution security cameras and motion detectors are in use and will be used to prosecute individuals caught trespassing or damaging our property).
TENTATIVE DAYS/HOURS Subject to change, always check before coming out:
During these times, either the Grinch or a gingerbread man will be present with additional lighting to ensure you get the perfect picture.
PHOTO OP RULES:
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Anyone younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult
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Stay out of fenced-in areas that contain the blowups.
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Due to the size of the photo op area, only one family is allowed at a time inside the gated area; please wait outside the gated area for your turn. If you need someone from another family to come in to take a picture for you, that is completely fine. We just want to ensure every family has the room they need to get the best picture possible.
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Pets are not allowed on our property for safety and liability reasons.
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Do not walk on the retaining wall or walk into our next-door neighbor’s yard.
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Do not lean on or allow your children to swing on the fencing.
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Photo Op Area is for personal use only. Professional photography and drone photography are not allowed.
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If the Gate is closed, the Photo Op Area is closed. Do not enter photo op area when closed. We have a strict no trespassing policy as well as cameras and motion detectors set up. Don’t be the person who ruins it for everyone; we will press charges and plaster your face on social media. We spent a lot of time and money putting this together this year. You may, however, take pictures under the arch when the gate is closed.
CARLSON LIGHT DISPLAY FAQs
How Do I Hear the Music?
Tune into FM Station 88.1 from your car to hear the music (or with a handheld radio). We no longer have a speaker outside, as it is hard to hear over the cars, and we don’t want to annoy our very understanding neighbors. Make sure you bring a handheld radio if you are walking up to the show so you can hear the music.
What Songs Are in This Year’s Show?
Please see the music lineup section above.
How Long is the Christmas Light Show?
This year’s show lasts about 48 minutes with an end-of-show intermission of approximately 12 minutes. The best time for video is anytime during the show, and the best time for pictures is at the end of the show intermission between shows when the lights are steadily on (there will be no music being played during intermission).
Will You Post a Video of the Christmas Light Show
How Many Lights are There?
We have honestly stopped counting. We have started the process of switching to pixel lights, which allows for one bulb to change to over 1000 different colors. This allows us to eliminate multiple strings of lights (for example, creating the mini trees with three different colors of lights just so we could have that one tree change between solid red, solid green, and solid white or have all three lights on together). Now, we can do that with a single strand of pixel lights. But we estimate there are about 20,000 lights now and about 3 miles of extension cords!!!!
How Long Did It Take to Put Together?
This year seemed a little easier since we have started transitioning to pixel lights, even though it’s just the two of us now since the kids are grown. It took about 200 man-hours to put up the display, and Jerry spent about 150 hours programming this year’s show. We start putting up the lights October 1 and are typically done about a week before December 1st.
Can We Walk Into the Driveway or Yard?
No. Please respect our hard work and stay out of the yard and driveway areas. Over 3 miles of cords are used, and all are trip hazards that can damage the lights and display. In past years, we have had lights (and electrical cords) damaged, causing us to shell out even more money and several man-hours to repair! We have cameras up and will call the police department to have those caught damaging our property arrested for destruction of property and trespassing (sorry to sound grinchy, but we just don’t have extra money to shell out for repairs each season due to damage from others).
It costs us about $50 for each strand of pixel lights we have to replace, and if our pixel lights are damaged due to other’s negligence, we can’t just run out and buy another strand; we have to buy it online and wait 1-2 weeks for it to arrive. If it also damages a controller, that is another $500. So, it can actually halt the show for the entire season. This is why it is so important to stay out of the yards and driveways (we actually had a kid damage our brand new truck one year, costing $750 in repairs; the kid and parents took off, leaving us with the bill).
Can We Take Pictures?
Absolutely, from the road only! Do not walk into the yard or the driveway. There will be about a 7-minute intermission between shows, where the lights will be steady on to allow for pictures.
Is There a Speaker Outside to Listen to the Music?
Due to past incidents with kids connecting their devices to our speaker and blasting inappropriate songs, we no longer have a speaker set up outside unless we are out there. Please make sure to bring your own radio to listen to the music if you will be watching from the walk up viewing area.
Where is Parking?
Park along the street, but do not park directly in front of the house or directly across the street in front of the walk-up viewing area, and do not block driveways (make sure your bumper is at least 4 feet away from the driveway). You can also park at the school and walk down (make sure you bring a handheld radio to listen to the music if you do this, as there is no speaker outside). Please be mindful of our neighbors, stay out of their yards, and do not block roadways if you decide to walk up. For safety reasons, we do not suggest sitting in or standing in the street, as our street gets a lot of traffic. If you decide to do this, you do so at your own risk.
What Else Should We Be Aware Of?
Smile! You are on camera! Security cameras (with audio and video) are in use for the protection of our property. Also, we have decorative fencing up. While this should be common sense, DO NOT lean on it or allow your children to lean on it. It can collapse, and we will not be held liable for any injuries.
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Products We Use/Recommend
If you follow us on TikTok or Facebook, you will see us post videos and pictures of items we use in the show/display or inside the house. You can find the links to those items here. Just FYI, they are affiliate links, so we earn a small commission if you purchase the item through the link at absolutely no extra cost to you =)
Past Years’ Videos
Contact Us
Please use the form below if you need to contact us. If you are asking a question that has been answered already on this page, you will not receive a reply, as it is just too time-consuming constantly having to repeat ourselves when the information is already available (sorry for that, but we can get up to 100 emails a day). If you have a comment or suggestion about the show, please leave it using the COMMENT form at the bottom of this page instead of using the contact form below:
Click Here to Contact Carlson Light Display (a pop up form will appear, make sure your pop up blocker is off)Free Holiday Checklists
Bridget is a checklistoholic (is that a word) and created these lists about ten years ago to help her stay organized during the holiday season madness. It includes a Christmas Card List (so you know who you have sent a card to and/or collect addresses), a gift list shopping checklist (where you can list who you are buying for, along with what was bought and price), and finally a Christmas Gift Wish List (Bridget used this to have her kids fill out; it includes a spot for I want, I need, I’ll Wear, and I’ll Read).
If you want to show your thanks, give her a follow on both her professional and personal Facebook pages.
Is it available to just see the lights tonight at 6pm