TOP STORY OF THE DAY brought to you free by WICU: COVID-19 not slowing down holiday scenery

Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Submitted photo - As outdoor Christmas decorations are flying off the shelves of local retailers with many people are spending their COVID-19 break creating light displays; The Brazil Times is organizing a local list of these displays to help those out enjoying the magic of the holiday season to not to drive around looking for them aimlessly. This picture is of the light show at 8427 N St Rd 59, Brazil.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of things in 2020. However, it might spur a renewed interest in Christmas Light Tours because a family can jump in the car and drive around to see holiday magic without the worry of social distancing.

The tradition has sparked a website to help those interested in seeing elaborate holiday light displays –www.christmaslightfinder.com. When searching the website for the Clay County area, there aren’t any local displays in the database.

That is why The Brazil Times staff is organizing a list of local displays to help people interested in taking a light tour this year, not to drive around looking for them aimlessly.

We have a few so far, including:

8427 N St Rd 59, Brazil

424 East Oak Street, Brazil

503 N Meridian Street, Brazil

689 W Emerald Drive, Brazil

1300 Block of North Forest Lane, Brazil

8440 N St Andrew’s Glen, Brazil

8270 N St Andrews Drive, Brazil

There are also several displays along North Murphy Avenue, north of Brazil.

A few displays are still in the works, including 689 W. Emerald, Brazil.

Of course, Forest Park is aglow with holiday lights, and local businesses have or are also in the work of creating light displays.

But, we know more displays, big or small, new or old, out there that will make the young at heart smile and conjure up memories of the holiday past.

To add your display to the list, call The Times Office at 812-446-2216.

You can also contact us through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/brazil.times/ or drop an email at brazileditorial@gmail.com.

The history of a bright idea

In 1882, Edward H. Johnson hung the very first string of 80 red, white, and blue hand-wired electric lights together and wound them around his Christmas tree. The tree was placed on a trunk with a revolving pedestal, all powered by a generator. The lights drew a crowd, who stopped to peer at the glowing marvel. It was the start of a tradition and the practice of doing more each year.

Johnson’s display the next year had 120 lights.

As light displays became a favorite event during the holidays, the advent of cars allowed people to travel to see the best. However, it’s a bit unclear about the date or whom to give credit for the mobile light tour’s idea during the holidays.

During the 1910s, the National Electric Lamp Company, ultimately bought out by General Electric, in Cleveland purchased an abandoned vineyard seven miles outside Cleveland and construction began for Nela Park, the first industrial park in the world, featuring electricity.

In 1925 the campus began sponsoring outdoor Christmas displays, with “Yuletide Greetings” signage across the engineering building’s rooftop. By the third year, the lighting designers added searchlights and twinkling stars. Local residents had started making pilgrimages by automobiles to Nela Park, stopping just outside the gates to sit and watch in wonder as the lights changed.

With time the Nela designers wanted to build more interest. They created a drive-through plan where families could see lighted Christmas trees and small scenes as they traveled through the property. The company sponsored design contests for the employees, which increased excitement about each year’s new plan.

Like most of the rest of the country, Nela Park went dark during World War II. The holiday tradition did not resume until 1949. However, Nela Park’s prominence was evident by the 1950s, when Bing Crosby appeared to sing “White Christmas” at the opening of the holiday season.

The tradition of outdoor holiday lighting established at Nela Park had a firm foothold throughout the country by the 1960s. Outlining the house in lights, stringing lights through trees, and lacing them through bushes became popular, along with elaborate holiday scenes and lighted reindeer, all of which delight passersby.

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