It's no secret that not everyone can install Christmas lights like a pro. In fact, most people are more than content to go down to their local big box store, buy a few boxes of inexpensive Christmas lights, and randomly string them around their yard. But then there are those folks that don't just want to keep up with the Joneses but instead completely blow them away. Clark Griswold has nothing on these hardcore Christmas gurus. These folks often start putting up their Christmas lights in October. Planning can begin as early as February. It's not unusual to spend thousands of dollars a year on new lights and displays and thousands more just to pay for the electricity to keep them lit. Some people may refer to these Christmas lighting fanatics as Christmas Nuts, but here at Christmas Designers, we like to refer to them as "Christmas Enthusiasts" They love Christmas and if it were up to them, it would be Christmas every day. Christmas Enthusiast Home Lit Up

Simply put, a Christmas Enthusiast loves Christmas. In our business, when we refer to a Christmas Enthusiast, it typically involves someone that spends all year looking forward to the holiday season with one thing in mind, how can they push their Christmas lighting and decorating to the next level. For a Christmas Enthusiast, there's no such thing as "good enough". There is always room for improvement and they are on a never-ending quest to take their Christmas lighting to new heights.

Watching shows such as TLC's Crazy Christmas, you get a good idea of the passion that hardcore Christmas Enthusiast has for their lights and decorations. For many of them, this passion has turned into a year-round activity. From picking up more lights, decorations, and accessories, to spending weeks programming new computer-animated controllers, it can take many months of planning and prep work before even a single light set is put up. But not every Christmas Enthusiasts is this obsessed with their Christmas lighting and decorating. In fact, the majority simply love Christmas and can't wait to light up the house, but aren't consumed with it day in and day out. We've found that the average Christmas Enthusiast that buys from us spends about $400 a year on Christmas lights and decorations and will typically invest between 10 and 20 hours on their holiday program. For these folks, it's all about moderation and fun. For some, happiness comes from going all out for Christmas, but for others, being a Christmas Enthusiast is all about putting up a few lights and decorations and finding joy in what they are doing. And still for others, being a Christmas Enthusiast has an even higher meaning. The poem below is known as the Christmas Enthusiasts Prayer:

A Christmas Enthusiast Prayer

As I untangle strings of Christmas lights, Lord help me to remember that I do this first to honor You. Never let me get so prideful of my display that I fail to see the wonders in the eyes of a child or the joy on the faces of those who are still children at heart. Never let me forget that my total effort is to make Christmas memories, bring cheer and to slow down the pace of a hectic season if only for a moment. And Lord, someday when I meet you face to face, may I hear you say:

"When you made My people smile, you made Me smile."

- Mira Moore - October 23, 2007

Are you a budding Christmas Enthusiast and not sure where to start? Without trying to sound too biased, I can tell you that you've already made the first giant step and that's finding our site. Browse through our blogs and don't forget to visit our YouTube Page for more tips and product reviews. Also, be sure and check out Planet Christmas's website: Planet Christmas. Planet Christmas also has a great trade show especially geared towards the Christmas Enthusiast. Christmas Expo will be held in Gatlinburg, TN. You can visit their website here: Christmas Expo.