Picture this: It is a cold December day, and you are sitting in the warmth of your car with your heated seats on, hot chocolate in hand, spending time with family and friends, and listening to Christmas music on the radio. Now imagine a light show that dances to the beat of this Christmas music and a view that outdoes oncoming headlights any day. That is an experience you do not want to miss and one that can become a reality by heading to TisTheSimpsons Christmas Light Show located in Perkasie, Pennsylvania at 502 Timber Court. On any night in December, the light show is open to the community and is completely free. By simply arriving at the designated house, parking along the road, and tuning the radio to 90.7, viewers can watch as the flashing of lights matches the beat of the music now playing in the car. A set list of songs is released on the Simpsons Light Show website each year, so it is easy to know what songs to expect during the show. It lasts a total of 15 minutes if all songs are listened to. With extravagant displays, surprises in each show, a free hot chocolate stand outside the house, and upbeat, popular songs, the show is appealing to anyone from around the community.
The planning for this event starts in January each year and continues until December when the shows begin. With 2.5 miles of extension cords and over 36 thousand lights, the effort put into making this show happen is impressive. To set up the display from start to finish, if working eight-hour days, it would take approximately 1.5 weeks to set up. On the audio side of the production, it takes about 20 hours to program one three-minute song. With an amazing amount of time and a generous budget, the Simpsons family insists that they receive no accommodations or gifts and makes it clear that their purpose for the show has to do with the joy of the community. The family even encourages those who are looking to donate to put the money toward a charity of their choosing.
An annual Simpsons Light Show attendee, Connie Campione says in talking about her Simpsons Light Show experience, “It’s a great thing to do every year. It lets our family spend time with one another and it is really close by.” In addition to emphasizing its fun and convenience she mentions, “Because it starts in the beginning of December, it makes it feel like Christmas. Not many Christmas activities are open this early, but I always know this light show will be.” Because of the nightly schedule, the show operates on, it allows for the community to visit whenever it is best for them, assuming they will have at least one night in December free. Olivia Grenda, neighbor to the Simpsons family and living only four houses down the street says, “It can become annoying to us with the traffic that develops in the neighborhood, but it is good to know people are always enjoying the show. I know this is really ‘their thing’ and they put so much time into it.” Grenda also recalls memories of being younger and gathering her neighborhood friends to go view the show together. A year that she particularly remembers was when “Us neighborhood kids would sit on the curb and drink hot chocolate from the stand. Random cars nearby would roll their windows down so we could hear the radio and watch the show with the music.” The production brings together the community and can bring out the Christmas spirit in all who attend.
Not only do the Christmas songs and flashing lights bring joy to the viewers, but to the creators as well. The Simpsons extend their thank you online to those who attend in support of their work. This 15-minute show provides a glimpse of the Christmas spirit and excitement for this joyous time of year.
