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Cover Story Light up your holidays: Families try to outdo each other in 'The Great Christmas Light Fight' By Kyla Brewer TV Media I n a classic holiday movie moment, Clark W. Griswold (Chevy Chase, "Saturday Night Live," "Community") stands proudly in his front yard, ready to dazzle his loved ones with the Christmas lights and decorations strewn all over his house in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (1989). Unfortunately, things don't exactly work out for the bumbling Clark — at least not at first. However, some people are real pros when it comes to such holiday displays, and a new series shines a light on their efforts. Michael Moloney and Sabrina Soto (both of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" fame) serve as judges in ABC's "The Great Christmas Light Fight," airing Monday, Dec. 23. In the series, families from across America go to extreme lengths to decorate their homes for the holidays in the hopes of walking away with a whopping $50,000 prize. It's a competition like no other, and 20 families were chosen for the inaugural season based on their history of incredible lights, decorations and even choreography. Each episode features four families who are already known in their communities for pulling out all the stops when it comes to holiday decorating. Featuring thousands of lights, which can take hundreds of hours to put up, these decorations truly go above and beyond. Thus far, many of the families have probably done it for bragging rights, but with $50,000 on the line thanks to the ABC series, the stakes are now even higher. They were given just 21 days to transform their homes and impress the judges, who traveled from home to home in November. Producers searched far and wide to find holiday decorating enthusiasts. The first of this week's back-to-back episodes features families that span the country, including the Hyatts from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., the Downs family from Norman, Okla., the Satterwhites from Mechanicsville, Va., and the Paradowskis from Decatur, Ga. The following episode, which also serves as the season finale, takes viewers from Lagrangeville, N.Y., to visit the Gay family's light display, to West Reading, Pa., where the Macrinas hope their decorations will win the prize. They'll face competition from the Kowalczyk family of Tinley Park, Ill., and the Mize family from sunny California's San Rafael. Moloney and Soto will have their work cut out for them as they try to determine the weekly winners of this unique competition, but each judge brings a wealth of experience and an eye for beauty to the table. While many viewers will recognize both of the TV personalities from their work on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," they are each highly respected designers in their 2 • December 22 - 28, 2013 Michael Moloney, Michelle Blount and Andrew Blount as seen in "The Great Christmas Light Fight" own right. in the U.S., but also around the world. In fact, Moloney came into the world of interior despite America's penchant for Christmas lights, design by way of the fashion industry. After a you'd have to travel all the way Down Under decade in fashion, he opened two prominent to witness the current record holders' display. home design stores in California, which feaRecently, Guinness World Records official Chris ture vintage treasures, giftware and more. His Sheedy confirmed that the Richards family of Maison Luxe customers include such celebs Canberra had reclaimed their record by stringas Goldie Hawn, Candace Bergen and Rachel ing their property with 502,165 twinkling bulbs. Hunter. He's also used his design skills on It appears the Gay family of Lagrangeville projects for The Walt Disney Company, the NFL briefly bumped the Richards off the World Reand Oral-B. In addition to his work on ABC's cords list with last year's display, which included hit home makeover show and now "The Great almost 350,000 lights. However, the Australians Christmas Light Fight," Moloney has appeared seem to have them beat this time around with in "Good Morning America," "The View" and enough lights to stretch more than 30 miles (48 "EXTRA!" km), and took weeks to install. The Richards Soto has some experience in judging reality don't just celebrate the season with their decoTV shows. She was recently one of the featured rations, but raise money for the charity SIDS and judges in Season 8 of "HGTV Star." A highly Kids ACT, an organization dedicated to reducing sought after designer and TV personality, the sudden and unexpected death in children. stunning Soto has extended her reach from Holiday revelers come from far and wide to home decor and design to beauty, food and witness such dazzling light displays, and now fashion. She's a LEED-certified designer and TV viewers can enjoy such spectacles from licensed real estate agent agent and has apthe comfort (and warmth!) of their own living peared on "The High Low Project," "The Today rooms. Don't miss ABC's "The Great Christmas Show," "The Chew," "The View" and more. The Light Fight," Monday, Dec. 23. lifestyle guru is also serving as Target's Style Expert for Home, making her a fitting choice to judge the esthetics of holiday decorations. For those who are happy to string a few lights on a tree and display some twinklers in the window, it may seem like the families on "The Great Christmas Light Fight" are going overboard — and perhaps they are. But they aren't the only ones. Such demonstrations of holiday decorating prowess have become very popular, not just Ms Becky's 1/64 pg Family Care 1/64 pg Davan's Body Shop Since 1976 1/64 pg 719 S. Chicago St., Rossville, IL 217-748-6054 TVWeek Communities listed D - Danville V - Veedersburg H - Hoopeston O - Oakwood V - Veedersburg Ca - Cayuga Co - Covington W - Westville

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