It all began in 1983, when Chuck Smith from Franklin, Tennessee connected his Apple II computer to some lights. By his testimony, the resulting strobing, flashing light display was “incredibly mesmerizing, yet the most dreadful thing [he’d] ever seen for Christmas.” In comparison to the calm, unchanging lights of his neighbors, he felt like he was showing off. However, just as he was about to dismantle the setup, a carload of children eagerly poured out in front of his house, delighted by his innovative creation. “I realized I had hit on something,” he shared with the Washington Post.

Thus began the long, storied saga of individuals merging their holiday spirit, technical prowess, and plenty of free time into countless spectacular Christmas light displays across the nation. After Chuck Smith opened the floodgates, it didn’t take long for thousands of other enthusiastic showmen to rush through, building on his initial concept. Soon enough, music was integrated, and the realm of synchronized Christmas light displays evolved from an intimate community of holiday lovers into a genuine nationwide phenomenon.

In today’s world, a mere twinkle here and a strobe there seem quite modest compared to the dubstep-fueled holiday raves showcased on YouTube. To help you differentiate between the garish and the inspired, we have selected five of the finest (in no particular sequence).

 

  1. Carsen Williams’ “Christmas Lights Gone Wild”

 

 

Though an old classic, it remains a favorite. The trend for musical light displays erupted in 2005 when an electrical engineer named Carsen Williams posted this video on the forum Planet Christmas. The performance, synchronized to the powerful arena rock of Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “Wizards in Winter,” captured significant attention from aspiring enthusiasts, and within a year, it became a viral sensation. Chances are you watched the video at 240p over a decade ago, amazed by the daring spectacle. It may have been the first to go viral, but it certainly wasn’t the last.

 

  1. Trista Lights’ 2016 Christmas Light Show

 

 

Apart from featuring the worst rendition of “Winter Wonderland” we’ve ever heard (see 4:26), this light show is among the most technologically advanced of the modern era. Utilizing flexible pixel light nets configured to act like lo-fi LED displays, each “screen” can showcase various holiday antics. From a pixelated Santa and his elves dancing to a remixed “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” to an astounding ripple effect at 7:34, it’s hard to envision the meticulous effort required to calibrate each individual dot in this intricate matrix.

 

  1. 2016 Johnson Family Dubstep Light Show

 

 

At some point, Skrillex’s “Bangarang” from 2011 became the unofficial anthem of Christmas displays (along with the aforementioned “Wizards in Winter” by Trans-Siberian Orchestra). So if you’re watching these for the music, well, good luck. But whether you’re enthusiastic about intense bass music from a simpler time or you’d rather imagine reindeer antlers tumbling in the dryer, you can be awed by the sheer grandeur of this Christmas light show. Look closely, and you may spot the eight spotlights projecting beams of blinding white light hundreds of feet into the December sky.

 

  1. 2014 Yucaipa Full Neighborhood Display

  

The residents of Manning Street in Yucaipa, California have garnered quite a name over the past decade or so. Each year, over a dozen homes coordinate their Christmas light displays for a show spanning several blocks, all kept meticulously synchronized by the technical expertise of one Jeff Maxey. While we couldn’t find the perfect video to fully capture the spectacle, just imagine accidentally driving down Manning Street late one chilly December night — you might wonder if your cocoa was spiked.

 

  1. The Larsen’s 2017 Display

 

 

If you’re looking for a more straightforward, yet still highly intricate display of over a million bright lights, this 2017 showcase by the Larsen family should be your top choice. Featuring a large house and yard completely adorned in decorations, this exhibit maintains a level of aesthetic clarity that is virtually unparalleled by others. It’s no wonder these folks won ABC’s “The Great Light Fight” back in 2013.

 

The finest Christmas light displays can ignite a spark of holiday cheer in even the most stoic hearts — especially if you overlook the music. Now, if you’ll excuse me, after viewing countless strobe-heavy, dubstep-infused light shows, this writer needs to rest his eyes.