Holly's Tacky Christmas Lights

2018

Nov. 19, 2018
Washington Post!!! What does it take to make an extreme Christmas display? Thousands of lights.

Nov. 24, 2018
Collingwood-focused piece with some Holly quotes Man's home is merry and (very) bright

Dec. 11, 2018
WTOP Interview - In print and on the radio! They're lit: Virginia's top Christmas light displays for 2018

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2017

Dec. 18, 2017
WTOP interview!!! Best Christmas lights displays in Virginia

Dec. 22, 2017
The Lady Behind the Lights

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2016

Dec. 1, 2016
Piece in Washingtonian!!! Think Your Tacky Christmas Lights Display Is Special? Holly Zell Will Be the Judge of That

Dec. 9, 2016
We Found 3 of the Craziest Christmas Light Houses in Washington

Dec. 14, 2016
Best 2016 Christmas Lights in Northern Virginia

Dec. 16, 2016
WTOP Photo essay using my photos! Photos: Christmas lights and holiday decorations around DC

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2014

Post Christmas, 2014
The site was included at the end of a list of LATE-SEASON HOLIDAY EVENTS on www.fairfaxfamilyfun.com.

Dec. 24, 2014
The site was included in a list of what to do on Christmas Day in D.C. - What To Do In D.C. On Christmas Day

Dec. 23, 2014
Santa is Not Going to Miss These Houses

Dec. 22, 2014
NASA story about measuring the glow of holiday lights from space featuring clips from my tacky lights videos, showing several of the displays on the list.
Story -- Video
The article features a photo of #18 - 9804 Kirktree Court, Fairfax, VA.
The interview portion of the video shows #3 - 8515 Innisfree Drive, Springfield (moved in 2014) in the background.
The video includes snippets from the following displays:
  MD #5. 1665 N Portal Dr NW, Washington, D.C. (Bishop's House)
  #12 - 3912 Lincolnshire Street, Annandale, VA
  #46 - 7104 Idylwood Road, Falls Church, VA
  #7 -7723 Fisher Drive, Falls Church, VA (off for 2014).

Dec. 20, 2014
Again this year, the site and several displays were featured in The Best Neighborhoods to See Holiday Lights in 2014 By Christin Camacho of Redfin
Scroll down to Washington D.C. - The Link to the site is under Fairfax.
This is how I found out about the new Woodbridge/Dale City displays added to the list.

Dec. 19, 2014
Two more displays and the website got the nod in the Greater Alexandria Patch: #10 and #13 - Check Out More Local Holiday Light Displays

Dec. 6, 2014
Display #47 was featured in the Kingstowne-Rose Hill Patch - Kingstowne Area Home on Top 10 Holiday Lights Display List
Display #12 was featured in the Annandale Patch - Annandale Home on 'Top 10' Holiday Lights List
Display #7 was featured in the Falls Church Patch - Falls Church Home on 'Top 10' Holiday Lights List
Two displays were featured in the Fairfax Station-Clifton Patch: #16 and #24 - Fairfax Station, Clifton Homes on 'Top 10' Holiday Lights List

Dec. 5, 2014
The Collingwood display, #14, got a great write-up in the Mount Vernon and Greater Alexandria Patch - Tis the Season for Collingwood Lights

Dec. 4, 2014
Two displays were featured in the Vienna Patch: #6 and #11 - Two Holiday Light Displays in Vienna Make 'Top 10' List

NOTE: Patch staffer and Friend-of-the-site Mary Ann Barton wrote all the Patch features using only the website as her guide. Thank you, Mary Ann!

Nov. 19, 2014
The site and two displays were include in a list of Holiday Lights In and Near Northern Virginia on http://www.funinfairfaxva.com.
Under the section "Neighborhood Holiday Displays" are write-up about displays #15 and #21 with the website link included at the end.

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2013

Dec. 20, 2013
The website attained notoriety on MSN.com Real Estate
"Best US neighborhoods for holiday lights" By Christin Camacho of Redfin
Scroll down to Washington D.C. - Link to site is under Fairfax but almost everything listed there has come from my site...
http://realestate.msn.com/best-us-neighborhoods-for-holiday-lights?page=3

Dec. 03, 2013
Conducted telephone interview resulting in an article about the site in Northern Virginia Magazine-Online.
http://www.northernvirginiamag.com/buzz-bin/2013/12/03/this-is-probably-the-most-detailed-guide-to-novas-christmas-lights-ever/

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2012

Dec. 04, 2012

View the photo essay, using light display photos from this website, by a landscape architecture student at Morgan State University.
Student's portfolio website

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2011

Nov. 23, 2011:
Holiday Lights: The Good, The Bad and the Tacky

Dec. 11, 2011: Met with an AFP producer over last weekend and here is the result.
Features #17, #14, and a new honorable mention on Smallwood Land, near #23 in Chantilly.
If it won't play, visit Suburban dads shock and awe with tacky Christmas lights

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2010

Dec. 21, 2010: And according to one display, "(the) website made the big time - ESPN!" with a mentioned in ESPN's Tuesday Morning Quarterback column. Just one brief paragraph. You have to scroll down to the picture of one of the displays (#33). Actual text:

I denounced the scandalous trend toward tasteful white Christmas lights, endorsing the gaudy, multicolored, flashing kind. Chuck Boone of Fairfax Station, Va., reports this website tracks tacky Christmas lights. His favorite is here.

And under the photo of display #33 he says "Now that's what I'm talkin' about!"

December 17, 2010: Interviewed with Fox 5 for 10pm broadcast.
Website Shows Off 'Tacky' Christmas Lights in Fairfax County: MyFoxDC.com

December 5, 2010: Telephone interview with Patch resulting in web story...
Link to Kingstowne version - Annandale version - Fort Hunt version

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2009

2009 Season: Last year I assisted a video production student in a project to generated a 15 minute film about Christmas Lights for a contest. It didn't get far in the competition but the video highlighted a couple of the unique individuals behind the displays on the list. YouTube link

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2008

December 14, 2008: Just completed an interview and mini light tour for WTOP.com. Videos are on YouTube.

November 2008: Last year I participated in filming for a new local Christmas special, "The WETA Guide to Christmas". It premiered on Thankgiving night at 8pm and will be repeated throughout the season. It is also available online at www.weta.org. It features four of the displays on the list. Enjoy...

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2007

December 8, 2007: I was featured on Cable's Fox News as part of a "Griff's Riffs" segment. This segment included some of the displays on the list and discussions with the owners.

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2006

December 2006: I was interviewed and rebroadcast on radio discussing the lights and an article featuring "yours truly" was published by the local Fairfax Connection newspaper.

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