Holiday Lights, and then Electric Lizzyland
Tradition of Holiday Lights
The celebrations of Christmas and other North American mid-winter holidays are collections of stories and traditions from many cultures and eras brought together by times and circumstances and augmented by a healthy dose of commercialism. What keeps them alive for people are the joy and meaning that the stories and traditions continue to bring. It is certainly not just coincidence that the traditions of lighting occur around the time of the shortest periods of sunlight, the shortest days and longest nights.
Northern European cultures during midwinter festivals used Yule logs, bonfires and candles to symbolize the rebirth of the sun, turning night into day and the dawn of the New Year. In the late 19th century in the United States the display of lights was converted to stringed electric bulbs by Edward H. Johnson, an associate of Thomas Edison. Commercialization took hold and has brought about todays proliferation of lighting displays throughout the holidays.
Folk Art Displays
What started as lighting a Christmas tree has become outdoor displays of lights that are such a big part of the holiday season. From recreational uses around neighborhoods to modern light shows with major sponsors the use of light during the Holiday season has transcended its original intent. Beyond entertainment in some cases lighting displays have become an act of personal artistic expression. Many communities and neighborhoods now have these substantial personal lighting displays and some may be viewed as works of folk art. From movies like Christmas Vacation to television ads there is recognition of this phenomena.
Electric Lizzyland
Located in the Old East Dallas neighborhood of Hollywood/Santa Monica is the yard art holiday lighting display of Liz Sommers, ELECTRIC LIZZYLAND. What Liz has been doing for years is a good example of holiday lighting display as folk art expression. After her first stab at decorating her house about 20 years ago building these holiday displays has become her passion. With some help Liz begins to build the December display in September every year. As work is going on the assembly must be covered with tarps during the day to prevent damage from sun and weather. There are thousands of lights covering the house and yard including the plants that provide a holiday glow to the neighborhood. If it were just lots of lights and maybe a giant Santa and snowman then it would be just another display like so many other yards. What sets some displays apart and makes them artistic expressions are the added pieces and arrangements, originality of designs that are clearly part of the homeowner/designer’s personal vision about the Holidays.
Liz has been collecting and making pieces of Electric Lizzyland over the years and they change over time. There is a story about how a paper mache polar bear evolved into what is now an abominable snowman figure. The exterior of the house is wrapped like a present with brightly colored wrapping paper panels. The yard is filled with lights and holiday figures including snowmen and candycanes. The yards are fenced by light strings with fence posts in Liz’s particularly unique curlycue design motif that can be seen throughout the display in lights and glitter, pounds of glitter. At the front of one section of the yard are gingerbread style houses replete with many collected pieces and signature glitter and curlycue designs. A cloud of lights floats over it all hanging from trees and toped naturally by a flying Santa and reindeer.