Hatfield Family Wins ABC’s ‘The Great Christmas Light Fight’

Tony Di Domizio | North Penn Now•

In a dazzling display of festive spirit that would make Clark Griswold envious, the Michael Family have outshone their neighbors — quite literally — this holiday season.

Their elaborate Christmas light extravaganza along the 100 block of Kimberly Way not only brightened the neighborhood, but also secured them the prestigious "Christmas Light Fight” trophy and a staggering $50,000 prize on Tuesday night’s "The Christmas Light Fight” on ABC. The Michael Family competed against three other families from across the United States in the Season 11 episode.

Unlike the infamous leg lamp that Ralphie’s dad proudly displayed in their window, this major award for the Michael Family is a beacon of community joy. Sometimes, more is indeed merrier.

The Michael’s — Brian, Kim, and their children, Elyse and Joseph — told host Taniya Nayak that they have been doing the Christmas display for 25 years. When Nayak turned a custom-made personalized key to power the Michael lights, she was blown away.

"It’s not just covered in lights,” Nayak said during the broadcast, "it’s covered in blow molds! This is just amazing. It looks like a million of them.”

"Almost a million,” replied Brian Michael. "We’re trying to get there.”

Nayak marveled at the displays’ multiple choirs and the trees wrapped in lights. She said the first thing that drew her eye was a special choir display.

"They are so bright and beautiful. They are so vintage and there are so many of them,” she said.

"There are almost 30 here,” Brian replied. "It took several years to collect these; they are really hard to find. They do have their own life cycle. Trying to find them again is harder and harder.”

Brian showed Nayak how the choir display, comprised of different boys and girls with different colored hair among them, lets one take off the heads of the choir singers and move them around.

"Imagine what it’s like when I set it up. It’s a little creepy,” Brian joked.

Nayak told the Michael family she loved the vintage-ness of everything.

"It reminds me of old-school Christmas,” she said.

She also marveled at the Michael’s roof, which is also decorated with displays that were hand-made by Brian. Nayak found it to be a great use of space.

"We deviate a bit,” Brian said, "and pull in wire frame structures.”

The large wreath display on the roof was made by Brian out of PVC pipe and measures 14 feet tall, he said. The bow itself is six feet tall.

"We have over 150 strobe lights giving it pop and sparkle. It gives you that magic in the display,” he said.

The Michael display does not stop at blow molds: There are animatronics and displays triggered by motion sensors too. One such sensor activates a Christmas Mickey Mouse in a window.

"It’s one of the cool things to complement the blow mold display,” Brian said. "It makes the kids feel so special.”

Brian even created a huge, enclosed light up display featuring Santa and Mrs. Claus in his workshop. The interactive display mimics a child talking to Santa.

"It’s nice to have this set up and it’s low for kids to press the button,” Nayak said. "If I were a kid, I’d be standing here all day.”

Of course, a Christmas light display would not be complete without a train around a Christmas tree. The Michaels have one — a blow mold version, obviously.

"We are a preserver of Christmas lights and Christmas past,” Brian said. "We have to do that so we have future generations that can do the same thing.”

Kim Michael told Nayak that Brian’s display brings him so much joy in seeing other people happy.

"He brings delight in everybody’s eyes,” she said.

Nayak agreed and was amazed that she felt what the Michael family and their fans feel every year.

"You guys inspire me,” Brian told his family.

Upon awarding the Michael Family their honors, Nayak said they were making history.

"It felt like I was walking through a museum of blow molds,” she said, adding it was one of the finest collections she had ever seen.

"I would have never expected this,” said Brian. "I just do it to make people happy.”

"He put his heart and soul into it, and I’m so happy he’s getting rewarded for it,” said Kim.

Brian had the perfect spot for his award — right on the mantel of the fake interactive fireplace he made, complete with a Santa stuck in the chimney.

"Just like the blow molds we preserved, we preserve Christmas memories,” he said.

(Editor’s note: The Michael Family Christmas Display is located in Towamencin Township, however they have a Hatfield mailing address and all promotional and distribution materials cite the location as Hatfield. In an effort to avoid confusion, we have made the decision to use the Hatfield address in our coverage.)