Christmas Lights

By Doug Harmon
 
What do you do two weeks before Christmas? You go driving around looking at Christmas lights. 

My hat is off to the dozens and dozens of great light displays that we got to see on our annual road trip in Newaygo and Oceana Counties. Jolly Old Saint Nick welcomes you at one location. A road trip is never complete without food so my Christmas celebrating associates, Holly, Tim and Shirley loaded in the car and we started the trip at High Tower Restaurant. This backcountry eatery never disappoints and after our tummies were full, it was dark enough and we were ready to explore.
 
We had a destination in mind for the ultimate viewing that we had heard about. The Deater Family Christmas Light Show. The Deater family is known in the area for their involvement in lighting and sound production. They have taken their expertise and produced a wonderful light show in their front yard. Located on Garfield road south of Hesperia, very easy to find, for those of you who prefer landmark directions, the old Pine Point Road, past Taylor Bridge Store. The property has two driveways which allows you to pull in turn your car lights off and sit in your car and enjoy the show.

A new show starts at the top of the hour and lasts 45 minutes. Lights are choreographed to great music selection from past to present, old standards and great Christmas Movies. Speakers are set up outside but we tuned our car radio to 93.1 and enjoyed all of the music selections. Occasionally a youngster would slip out and run over to the candy cane box for a free sweet treat. I slipped out of the car when I noticed Tim Deater standing in the back line of cars enjoying everyone enjoying the light show. He told me they have been doing lights of this magnitude for about three years now. Many cars a night come through along with some small bus loads of people. We were amazed, entertained and enjoyed the show.
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For more info you can check it out on Facebook, Deater Family Christmas Light Show. I invite you to drive over and check it out, be careful it might bring the kid in you out!

N3-When not seeking out outdoor light shows or assisting in annual turtle rescue efforts, occasional N3 contributor Doug Harmon can be found manning the mike for Fremont Packer sporting events or knocking down some serious riffs as a member of the internationally acclaimed Braunschweiger Blues Band