Christmas Park Athens: Land Of Lights

Doll Display at Christmas Park Athens: Land Of Lights

December 8, 2008

Each family has traditions they always love and remember. In my family, we always made it a point to go look at Christmas lights when I was a kid. A few years ago when my husband and I were dating, during our first Christmas, his family introduced me to what is now one of my favorite Christmas events each year.

Located in Athens, Texas is Christmas Park Athens: Land of Lights. It features over 2 Million lights, countless cutouts and animated lights, numerous light tunnels, and even a small lake full of lit sea creatures and even a paddleboat! My favorite part of the park is the areas with actual glass-front buildings, loaded with Santa’s toyshop goodies, lights, and more! We’ve enjoyed it so much that we have been there twice this year.

From the second we drive in to Christmas Park Athens: Land of Lights, I feel my stomach start turning flips, excited to be there. It’s so exciting and makes me feel like a child again with ooh’s and ahh’s and saying “Oh! That’s new this year!”.

On our most recent trip there, on December 6, I took several pictures for all my readers to see. I also had the opportunity to get an E-Interview with the owner of Christmas Park Athens: Land of Lights, Garland Pool, you will find the interview below. Also, please note when viewing my pictures, some of them appear to only be partially lit- this is most likely due to the piece being animated, so the lights were caught when that section was not lit.

If you have the chance, please stop by there and see the lights! It took us about an hour to drive thru the park, but it is SO worth your time! I’ve been to many light shows and light parks, and this is by far the best!

For more information on opening dates and times, as well as directions, go to www.christmasparkathens.com.


All of my pictures of this years display can be seen at my Flickr site at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27520785@N07/collections/72157610932180330/






Interview with Garland Pool, Owner of Christmas Park Athens: Land of Lights:


1. How long has Christmas Park Athens been running? 10 Years.

2. Do you expand each year, or do you leave the displays the same? We make changes and add to the scenes each year.

3. When do you start preparing for the current years lights and Christmas decorating? We work on the park all year, add items as we prepare them, Start Oct. 1st Finalizing Scenes.

4. Do you take down the display each year, or leave it up year-round? Some we take down, big items stay up.

5.When does the actual Christmas decorating and repairing of burnt out lights begin? We add decvor as we finish new additions all year. We check lights in Oct.

6. How long does it take to decorate the park start-to-finish for Christmas? All year.

7. How many people does it take to do the decorating? This varies.

8. What is your favorite part of decorating the park for Christmas? The new additions.

9. What is your favorite Christmas decorating memory? It’s all hard work and long work, no favorites.


10. Do you have any neat stories from visitors you've had over the years? I think our website tells of a 3 legged dog and horse, an old car trying to make it up our hills , our out of states visitors and different countries visitors.