Berks County’s Macrina family is ‘taking a break’ from its award-winning light show.
We pulled up in front of 2031 Lincoln Court in Wyomissing, Berks County, on Saturday night.
We had come to see “Christmas on Lincoln,” the holiday light show that I had watched on ABC-TV’s “Great Christmas Light Fight” in 2013. Tim and Katie Macrina won the competition — and its $50,000 prize — based on the 60,000-plus lights that blinked to music outside their home.
I was reminded of the Macrinas a few weeks back while doing research on holiday light safety for this blog post for Advanced Insurance Solutions.
I thought it would be a fun trip – and an interesting topic for my own blog – to check out Christmas on Lincoln. I just assumed that the annual animated light show would be in full display on the first weekend after Thanksgiving. I figured the hours would be the same as last year, 5:30 to 9 p.m.
However, the only nod to the holidays was a lone tree with white lights on it. We suspected that something was amiss when 5:30 came and went and the show didn’t start. There were no other eager watchers, either. Then an SUV, apparently bearing the Macrinas family, backed out of the garage and went on its way.
On my phone, we watched this video from “Light Fight” and confirmed that we were at the right place.
Feeling more than a little like Joe Pesci or Daniel Stern casing a residence in “Home Alone,” I got out of the car and viewed the house from the sidewalk. I could see that there were icicle lights hanging from the façade, but of course unlit.
Back in the car, I sent a message to the Macrinas via the Christmas on Lincoln Facebook page. Not being the Wet Bandits, we went to dinner and then home.
Upon returning, I checked Facebook and read this response from the Macrinas: “We’re taking a little break this year. We are in the process of putting up some lights but nothing like last year. Sorry, check back next year!”
Sure enough, a deeper look at the Christmas on Lincoln Facebook page revealed that they had announced, on Dec. 30, 2013, their intention to take 2014 off.
So that’s that. We can take comfort in last year’s “Light Fight” or its sequel, which premieres Dec. 8 on ABC.
And if you’re looking for other light shows in your area, check out www.ChristmasLightFinder.com. However, don’t assume that the information is entirely up to date.
For instance, the website lists the Macrinas’ show – at their old address in West Reading – when it was known as “Christmas on Sunset.”
