Chuck Hudgins has always been fascinated by Christmas lights. When he and his sister were children, their parents would take them out to find the brightest displays in their neighborhood.
These dazzling decorations left an impression on Hudgins: “I thought, I want to do that when I grow up!”
He has achieved this ambition. Each year, beginning on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving and continuing until New Year’s Eve, the Hudgins’ house in the Traveler’s Run Subdivision is a brilliant celebration of the season—the yard is filled with smiling snowmen, animated panda bears and singing penguins.
Hudgins’ passion for illuminating the holidays initially came as something as a surprise to his wife Sherry. “The first year we were together, I said, ‘Do you mind if I throw a few lights up?’”
“A few lights” turned out to be 10,000. Since they moved to Hanover County in 1999, the number of multicolored lights the Hudgins’ put up each year has grown until the couple figures it is now at least 50,000.
Sherry admits they have quit counting.
And if you hang up that many lights, you can expect to attract attention. During the holiday season, thousands of people, some from as far away as England and Japan, visit the Hudgins’ radiantly decked-out house.
Recently Bruce Littlefield put a photo of the home on the cover of his new book, Merry Christmas, America! Megawatt Displays Across the U.S.A.
According to the website of HarperCollins, publisher of Merry Christmas, America!, in his book “author Bruce Littlefield finds the answers on his quest to locate the most spectacular Christmas displays across America. His adventures take him to the front lawns and doors of people in cities and towns from coast to coast who have a flair and fanaticism for doing Christmas right.”
Seeing their house on the cover of a book came as an early Christmas gift to the Hudgins.
“(Littlefield) emailed us a few weeks ago, and said we’d be getting a surprise,” said Hudgins. “It’s quite an honor!”
Littlefield first found out about the Hudgins’ extravagant decorating when the house was featured on television in 2006, as part of the Tacky Light Tour on The Learning Channel’s Crazy Christmas Lights.
The Tacky Light Tour has been a tradition in Richmond since the 1980s. The tour’s website, at tackylighttour.com, lists 80 houses that display at least 20,000 lights. As of November 2, the Hudgins’ is rated number four in the site’s Most Popular Christmas Displays.
Their home’s popularity is probably directly related to the Hudgins’ enthusiasm for all things Christmas. When the couple discusses the holiday carousel Chuck made, or the recreation of Santa’s workshop, or the elf costumes their grandchildren wear to greet visitors, their excitement would impress even the most stalwart Scrooge.
“It certainly puts you in the Christmas spirit,” said Sherry, laughing. “And what inspires you is the kids. This is a tradition our grandkids will remember for the rest of their lives.”
The Hudgins concede that their electric bill at this time of year can be higher than during other months, but that the expense is well worth the joy the lights bring to the community.
“People try to give donations for our electric bill,” said Hudgins. “I don’t want any money, so we leave out a donation box for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. We’ve collected (about) $3500 in the last three years.”
Stringing up lights and hauling out decorations is an effort that begins at the end of September and takes about six – seven weeks to complete.
And Sherry says that getting everything ready can be stressful, requiring a lot of patience and commitment. But, she added, “We’ve never even thought about not doing it!”
