By Kelly Youngblood
What started as a “friendly” competition between siblings has led to a major holiday light show that just keeps getting bigger and better each year.
Brian McIntosh of Monticello, the man behind the McIntosh Christmas Lights Show, began setting up this year’s display at his home, 404 S. Charter (across from McDonald’s), in October and is looking forward to giving the community another spectacular light show this Christmas.
McIntosh, a station manager and field trial manager at an agricultural research facility, has been decorating his house with Christmas lights since he was a kid.
When he and his sister were younger, they decided to have a light competition to see who could put up the most lights.
“Needless to say, I won for five or six years and she finally gave up,” McIntosh said.
These days, he gets a lot of help from his family, including his wife, Melissa, his children, Natalie and Camden, and his parents.
About four years ago, he went from doing a static display to an animated one that is staged to music and ran through an FM transmitter. That allows drivers to tune their radio station to hear music and other audio sound bites, including snippets from the movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”
It’s hard to say what’s the most impressive part about the light show but McIntosh says the sheer size of it is pretty amazing.
“Because of our unique house, we can decorate on three sides of our property. That allows for many cars to park in the neighboring parking lots or in front of the display to see the show,” he said.
Some of his other favorite features include the Color Cosmic Ribbon Tree, the mega tree, and a lighted sidewalk archway that was inspired by an underground runway tunnel at the Detroit airport.
What many people find unbelievable is the amount of extension cords he uses. McIntosh estimates to have at least four miles of extension cords to run the show.
McIntosh says he likes the challenge of an animated display that requires so much planning and programming. Once this year’s show is up and running, he starts planning for next year’s show right away.
After the official opening, the McIntosh Christmas Lights Show will run from 4:30-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 4:30-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. On Christmas Eve, Christmas night and New Year’s Eve, the show runs until midnight. The last show of the season will be Jan. 4.
A donations box will be in front of the house. All money collected will go towards the American Cancer Society and the Alzheimer’s Society.
Check his Facebook page for the most current and to up to date details about the light show happenings.