75 of our best photos of Richmond's Tacky Lights houses through the years
Here's a collection of our best tacky lights photos from the RTD archive. Some of these houses don't light up anymore. Check www.richmond.com/holiday/tacky-lights to see which houses are on this year's tour.
Ky with Christmas lights.
Families often get out of their cars and walk down Pine Grove Drive for a look at the neighborhood's tacky Christmas lights.
Lit only by the glow from the thousands of lights on Bob Siceloff's yard, Chris Clore of Richmond cruises down Pine Grove Drive for a look at the neighborhood's tacky Christmas lights.Â
Bob Siceloff stands in front of his house on Pine Grove Drive on 11/30/06.Â
Brandermill residents living near a home that won USA Today’s Best Private Holiday Lights Display last week are caught in the center of traffic storm that’s clogged their streets. The parkway empties out into countless subdivisions including Long Hill where, at 14309 Long Hill Road, sits the two story house that made national headlines last week. The traffic jams are in part due to the fact that Brandermill Parkway is dark and fairly narrow, and that all the vehicles coming from both directions are pulling into a relatively small residential street. Just moments after the lights went on at 4:50pm, cars begin lining up for a look.
Brandermill residents living near a home that won USA Today’s Best Private Holiday Lights Display last week are caught in the center of traffic storm that’s clogged their streets.
Tacky Lights at 14309 Long Hill Road in Brandermill. Photographed on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2017.
Marc Leslie decorates his Oregon Hill home at 408 South Laurel Street for Christmas every year. Photo was taken on Tuesday, December 13, 2016.Â
Every year Marc Leslie puts the Bumble from Rudolph in the same place on his porch when he decorates his Oregon Hill home at 408 South Laurel Street for Christmas. Photo was taken on Tuesday, December 13, 2016.
Thomas Warren photographed with his light display at his Laburnum Ave. home in Richmond VA Thurs. Nov. 20, 2014.
Thomas Warren's light display at his Laburnum Ave. home in Richmond VA Thurs. Nov. 20, 2014.
Keith Kissee's decorated 1966 Cadillac with reindeers light Monument Avenue in Richmond on Wednesday, December 10, 2014. "Kind of the gift to the city," Kissee said of his decoration.Â
For 14 years, Keith Kissee decorated his Cadillac for Christmas at the corner of Monument Avenue and Strawberry Street.
Keith Kissee, center right, adjust his decorations with his friend, Paul Dooley, right, on Monument Avenue in Richmond on Wednesday, December 10, 2014. "Kind of the gift to the city," Kissee said of his decoration with around 100 dolls.Â
Christmas lights at 1310 Andover Rd. in western Henrico County.Â
Beacon in the night - The spirit of Christmas shines through at Earl Phifer's home, 9606 Asbury Court, and brings him recognition in the Tacky Xmas Decorations Contest in 1989.
Bobby (right) and Bobbie Phifer with their daughters Katelyn, 10 and Chelsea, 12. (2009)
Nearly 1 million lights illuminate the houses of Bobby Phifer and his mother's house on Asbury Ct. in Richmond on Dec. 1 11/22/2017
House at 9606 Asbury Court, home of Earl and Rose Phifer, in 1997.Â
Asbury Court houses in Henrico County VA decked out with lights and decorations Sat. Nov. 24, 2012
9606 Asbury Ct. The Phifer residence in 1995.
ABC's "Great Christmas Light Fight" host Taniya Nayak (second from right) stands with the Phifers outside their home on Oct. 17, 2017 during the show's taping at the Richmond area home.
Sharon Wegner and her daughter Jessica talk to camera crews with "Great Christmas Light Fight" outside of the Phifer's home in Richmond on Tuesday Oct. 17, 2017.Â
The lights turn on during the taping of ABC's "Great Christmas Light Fight" at the Phifers home on Tuesday Oct. 17, 2017.Â
The lights turn on during the taping of ABC's "Great Christmas Light Fight" at the Phifers home on Tuesday Oct. 17, 2017.Â
The lights turn on during the taping of ABC's "Great Christmas Light Fight" at the Phifers home on Tuesday Oct. 17, 2017.Â
Bobby, left, and his wife, Bobbie Phifer, are seen in this 2019 photo.
The Phifer family light up houses at 9604 and 9606 Asbury Court in Henrico County VA Tues. Dec. 6, 2016.Â
People gathered in front of 9604 and 9606 Asbury Court in Henrico Thurs. Nov. 24, 2016 for the grand illumination at the homes of Bobby and Bobbie Phifer. The Phifer's start decorating the first of September. Bobby said he finished about 3:30 pm on Thanksgiving. They use 60 breakers to keep things lit up.
Bev and Tracy Edmonds have their home on the Tacky Christmas Lights Tour and for the past 5 years have decked Lucky out in Christmas lights. December 4 , 2001.
More than 80 cyclists with Richmond Area Bicycling Association participated in the annual Christmas Ride and Tacky Light Tour, Wednesday, December 17, 2014.
The Markley's residence in Mechanicsville was on the Tacky Lights tour in 2005 and featured a motorcycle-themed Christmas display that sports over 60,000 lights.
9517 Chipping Dr home of Joe and Vickie April making a bright Christmas in 1995.Â
9517 Chipping Dr. for the Tacky Christmas Lights list. December 21, 2002.
Mary Johnson helps her husband, George Johnson, as they string Christmas lights on their house in the 1500 block of Greenville Avenue, December 21, 1998. They said that they always wait until the Monday before Christmas to hand their lights, and they take them down a week after New Year's Day.
Tacky Lights at 12618 Dawnridge Court, Midlothian. Christmas in Margaritaville family, L-R: Katy Mustian (mom); Spencer Lloyd, 11; Tom Mustian (dad); Carter Mustian, 6; and Ashleigh Mustian.
12618 Dawnridge Court, Midlothian
A recycled bicycle tire is used as a detail on one of the Tacky Lights homes on the 1500 block of Grove Ave, in Richmond, on Monday, December 7, 2009.
Detail from a cluster of Tacky Lights homes on the 1500 block of Grove Ave, in Richmond, on Monday, December 7, 2009.
A cluster of Tacky Lights homes on the 1500 block of Grove Ave, in Richmond, on Monday, December 7, 2009.
(From left) Deb Lockhart, Greg Lockhart, Mathis Kirby Powelson, Joe Willis and Suzanne hall pose in front of their cluster of Tacky Lights homes on the 1500 block of Grove Ave, in Richmond, on Monday, December 7, 2009.
Beth Bailey and Bruce Green with their dog Ellie in front of their home in the Fan that is part of the Tacky Lights tour. Photographed Wednesday Dec. 14, 2016.Â
Tacky lights at 1510 Grove Ave. on Wednesday Dec. 14, 2016.Â
Two-year-old Christopher Hartley of Chesterfield stands amid Christmas lights on Richmond's southside on Dec. 17, 1999. Christopher had come to tour a Chesterfield neighborhood known for its Holiday decorations.
Matthew and April Satterwhite and their daughter, Hadley, 9, at their Machanicsville home, decorated for Christmas. The house will be on the Tacky Lights Tour. Nov. 25, 2013.
Jim Winkler of Mechanicsville, Va. works to free his Christmas inflatables on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018 after they were buried in his back yard by Sunday's snow storm. Winkler's house is one of the stops along the popular Tacky Lights tour in the Richmond area.
Jack Bett has decorated his house since the 1990's. "I've lost count of how many lights I have." Bett lives at 10424 Marbury Terrace in Glen Allen.
Jack Bett has decorated his house since the 1990's. "I've lost count of how many lights I have." Bett lives at 10424 Marbury Terrace in Glen Allen.
In 2000, Christine Hunsucker, 27, had a surprise awaiting her after a decoy shopping trip Thursday night. Her boyfriend, Robert Flemming, 28, popped the question fashioned out of Christmas lights hanging outside their Chesterfield County home. She answered, and the answer will hang below the question Friday night.
Brett Aliotti, shown at his home in Glen Allen, Monday, Nov. 11, 2019, dresses up as the "Live Grinch" on select Friday and Saturday nights throughout the season. Aliotti has been dressing up as the Live Grinch and posing for photos with people in front of his Tacky Light house for 20 years. He has been decorating his home for 30 years.
Ice covers a tree in front of a Mechanicsville home, set aglow by their Christmas decorations on Dec. 8, 2013.
Ralph Shuler stands in his yard in 2011 with his light display/show, which synchronizes lights and music and broadcasts on an ultra small-watt FM transmitter. Ralph's been doing this for 30 years, and this is his last big year, he says.
'He's my protege," says Ralph Shuler (left) of 11 year-old James McMullin (right) at Shuler's home in western Henrico county on Nov. 22, 2011. Shuler's been doing this for 30 years; McMullin started helping and learning, with the complete blessing of his parents, last year. Shuler says this is his last big year, and pledges to help McMullin start his own tacky lights display. "He picks up things so quickly.
In 1996, Gil Logan has been playing Santa and decorating his home in a HUGE Christmas display for more than 20 years.Â
Debbie and Fred Gay have been decorating their Varina house and yard for 20 years. The Santa on the side of the house was their first decoration.
Debbie and Fred Gay have been decorating their Varina house and yard for 20 years.
Debbie and Fred Gay have been decorating their Varina house and yard for 20 years.
Fred Gay's house on Strath Road boasts 110 blow-up Christmas ornaments and thousands of lights which draw hundreds of visitors each night during the holidays.Â
Dick Tideswell of Midlothian follows what he half-jokingly refers to as a "tastefully tacky" approach. His yard is full of almost 70 decorative reindeer that he has accumulated, repaired and strategically positioned through the years. Photo 12/15/2010
Gale and Dick Tideswell of Midlothian follow what Dick half-jokingly refers to as a "tastefully tacky" approach. Their yard is full of almost 70 decorative reindeer that he has accumulated.
Gale and Dick Tideswell of Midlothian follow what Dick half-jokingly refers to as a "tastefully tacky" approach. Their yard is full of almost 70 decorative reindeer that he has accumulated.
Tacky Lights at 9215 Venetian Way in Henrico
9716 Wendhurst Drive is decked out with lights and decorations for the holidays.
Christmas decorations surround 9716 Wendhurst Drive Monday, December 13, 2004.
And like a good neighbor, Emile Dailey is there to help Al Thompson put up his Christmas lights on 11/15/05. Al and a neighbor are putting up a lights on his roof for the Tacky Lights Tour.Â
Al Thompson looks up at his Christmas lights on 11/15/05. Al and a neighbor are putting up lights while preparing for the Tacky Lights Tour.Â
Cars line up outside of 9716 Wendhurst Drive, a popular Tacky Lights stop, on Friday Dec. 16, 2016.
Cars slowly drive by 9716 Wendhurst Drive, a popular Tacky Lights stop, on Friday Dec. 16, 2016.Â
A steady stream of cars pulled up in front of this tacky lights display at a home in Wistar Ct., in Richmond, on Sunday. The display includes a star 60ft-high in a light-strung tree and Christmas music.Â
Frank Hudak, Mr. Christmas on Dec. 4, 2014.Â
Frank Hudak checks out his light displays at his 2300 Wistar Court in Richmond as he plans to turn those on this coming Friday. Hudak, "Mr. Christmas," has been decorating his "fairlyland" for 43 years and he raised over $110,000 for Virginia Home for Boys and Girls.
Electronic Greetings - Christmas brings out the brightest lights at Frank Hudak's home, 2300 Wistar Court in 1989.
Frank Hudak's "Christmas House" is in his 30th anniversary production of a "Fairyland Christmas". 11/20/04 Frank Hudak is also known as Mr.Christmas.
Here’s the full list of houses in the Richmond area lighting up with over-the-top, mega-wattage displays.
Looking to see the best and brightest holidays lights around town?
Looking to see the best and brightest holidays lights around town?
Christmas is nearly three months away, but readers are already asking: Will there be Tacky Lights this year with the pandemic?
This is an opinion column from The Times-Dispatch opinion page.Â
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The key to dealing with chronic absenteeism is employing multiple coordinated strategies that are tailored to the individual school and community. The state’s role here should be to provide funding, flexibility, expertise and data-based oversight.
