Christmas doesn’t start on Dec. 1 at the Artz home in Greeley.
It doesn’t begin after Thanksgiving or after Halloween.
The Artz family starts getting into the Christmas spirit as they’re getting tan.
“We start singing Christmas carols in September,” Adam Artz said. “I joke (that) I’m the only guy in Colorado who is getting a sunburn while he’s putting up his Christmas lights.”
When it comes to everything Christmas, the family “sleighs.” However, when it comes to their Christmas lights display, it’d be hard to find a brighter home in Weld County than their home at 1712 37th Ave.
On Thursday, Dec. 19, on a Season 12 episode of ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight,” the country got to see just how brightly the Artz family’s spirit shines. Programming Insider estimates more than 2.1 million viewers tuned into the show that night.
“Itap just a whole lot of Christmas,” Adam said.
The show puts the spotlight on some of America’s brightest houses with the help of celebrity judges Carter Oosterhouse and famed interior designer Taniya Nayak. Each episode takes viewers across the country to the most elaborate Christmas light displays in the country. At the end of each season, the four families featured will compete against each other in a one-hour episode competing for a $50,000 prize.
In December 2018, the Medhursts, also known as the “Greeley Grizwalds,” were featured on the show, making the Artz family the second Greeley family to be featured on the show since its December 2013 premiere.
“I’m excited,” said Jessica Artz, Adam’s wife. “Itap been a long wait to finally see our episode air, so itap exciting to see our family celebrate the lights. I can’t wait for the episode.”
Even though the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers football game was airing at the same time as their episode, the couple was still thrilled that people in Greeley and Colorado could watch it, even if they watched it the next day or later on Hulu.
Adam said it was his brother-in-law who most likely sent a YouTube link to the show executives showing their display and leading them to appear on the show.
“One of the most appealing aspects of the Artz family’s display, besides the stunning visuals and incredible DIY of course, is the story behind it. This is a Christmas rich in history and generations in the making,” a statement from executive producer Max Swedlow read.
In 2020, the family was tasked to continue the family tradition of putting on an illuminating Christmas lighting display. This family tradition started 60 years ago in Denver with Adam’s aunt and uncle, who took it over from the uncle’s father.
The world and every neighborhood needed a beam of light as the murky year of 2020 came to an end. The Artzes’ got plenty of beams of light when the family lit up their house.
“I think it came at a time where families were feeling the stress of being isolated and not being able to travel and do their normal things during COVID-19,” Jessica said. “So having a display like this — especially during those years coming out of the pandemic — really meant a lot to a lot of folks. We saw a lot of families come and were happy to see the lights as a destination they could go to since a lot of folks weren’t traveling then.”
Since then, the couple said their neighbors enjoy the display, even if it means a lot of traffic in the area and plenty of brightness. However, the family hosts a Christmas party for their neighbors as a thank you for accepting and enjoying their family tradition.
Adam said it takes about six weeks for him and Jessica to set up the display. He said this year’s display took 45 days. She said he does all the heavy lifting and gets up on the roof because she’s afraid of ladders and doesn’t trust herself near electricity.
Their display features Christmas characters, a Christmas trailer and just a little bit of everything else. Adam has crafted some of the characters, but some of the decorations are from his aunt and uncle.
The lights are on from 5-10 p.m. daily. The family leaves the display up until around the new year.
When itap time to put everything away, the couple has a designated “Christmas room” in their home where everything is stored. With everything they have — and the items they add every year — the decorations nearly touch the ceiling.
With such an exuberant display, the most common question the couple gets asked is what their electric bill looks like this time of year. Jessica said LED lights help save money on their bill. Adam, though, said they spend more money on a tasty holiday treat than anything this time of year.
“I usually tell people that we spend more on candy canes than we do on electricity,” he said.
In front of their driveway sits a teddy bear, a candy-cane bear rather, that holds a bowl full of the sweet treats for children and everyone else who stops by to enjoy as they look around.
“We say Christmas lights look better with a candy cane in your mouth,” Adam said.
The family planned to watch their episode on Christmas Eve.
Just as their family plans to enjoy the holiday together, they wish the same for everybody in Greeley and wish a merry Christmas to all.
