The Michael Family Christmas Tree Display will make the national spotlight Tuesday night when the family competes in "The Great Christmas Light Fight” on 6ABC at 9 p.m.
"We’ve been doing this for 24 years,” said patriarch Brian Michael, in a preview of Tuesday’s broadcast. "We’ve been married 25 years, so it started right away.”
In the clip, Brian hands Nayak a large key to the Michael Family Christmas Display, which she puts in a big slot to turn and unlock the power to the display.
"Blow it up!” yell the Michaels in the clip.
The Michaels, of Towamencin Township (although Hatfield is used in all the promotional material), are a contender on Season 11 of ABC’s "The Great Christmas Light Fight.” When announced in September, the news on the family Facebook page garnered more than 143 reactions from fans.
It may rival Clark Griswold’s Christmas display in "National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” but the Michael's Family’s seasonal Christmas display of 80,000 lights and a 25-year collection of vintage and modern blow-mold lawn figures at 102 Kimberly Way and Derstine Road always turn heads and stop cars who marvel at the bombastic holiday decorations.
According to a post from the family, the filming of the display was completed in November 2022. Now, the Michael family wants fans to set up their DVRs and record the series to see how successful the Michaels are against other families competing across the United States for a $50,000 grand prize and a Light Fight trophy.
In a prior preview in November, Brian Michael said the family’s Christmas lights filled up two tractor trailers in two moves across country.
"My love for Christmas decorating began as a kid,” said Brian in the promo clip. "We grew up in an apartment and we decked that place out big time.”
He said the apartment unit had a Christmas decoration contest, and his family won first prize.
"Our display is so massive, we moved across country twice, and it took almost two 18-wheeler tractor-trailers just to move the Christmas decorations,” Brian said.
The Michael Family display features more than 600 vintage 1950s and 1960s blow-mold decorations collected over the past quarter-century.
"There’s always room for more blow molds,” Brian said in the promo. "We’re preserving that history of Christmas so everybody can enjoy it today.”
The Michael Family matriarch, Kim, can no longer assist with the display as she used to, as she is now confined to a wheelchair. She has faced new challenges in her diagnosis of ataxia — a neurological disorder of the muscles that causes involuntary movements, difficulty with walking and keeping balance, hand coordination, speech and swallowing, and eye movements. Ataxia affects the part of the cerebellum that controls muscle coordination.
"I have trouble speaking and limited mobility,” Kim said in the promo, "And it is hard to do daily tasks, let alone help Brian with the display.”
Brian said the display brings the celebration of Christmas from inside to outside.
"We’re going to win this, guys,” he said in the video. "Whether vintage or new, we have what it takes to make the best display.”
"The Great Christmas Light Fight” broadcasts on 6ABC and can also be found on streaming platforms such as Hulu, Disney+, Apple, and several others.
See also:
Photos: The Best Residential Christmas Displays Across the North Penn and Indian Valley Area
The Michael Family: Bringing Christmas Smiles, Cheer, and Awareness to a TV Screen Near You
Promo Video Released Ahead of Hatfield Family’s Appearance on ‘The Great Christmas Light Fight’ Show
ABC Announces Air Date for ‘The Great Christmas Light Fight’ Episode Featuring Hatfield Family
Hatfield Family Selected for Season 11 of ABC’s ‘The Great Christmas Light Fight’ Television Show
