Beach couple’s display lights up phone pool lines!
By Anthony Cormier / News Herald Writer
747-5089 / acormier@pcnh.com

            There was an undisputed, no doubt, absolute champion in an entirely-for-fun poll Saturday by the News Herald. The Winners in the great Christmas display call-in were, in a landslide, Russ and Becky Smith of 2407 Grand Harbor Drive. More than one-third of the 118 callers nominated the Smith’s Bay Point-area extravaganza. 

The Smiths have about 78,000 lights, a Web site (www.gofortheglow.com) and a first-place award in the 2003 Panama City Beach Christmas lights contest.  They even have out-of-state scouts who help find post-Christmas sales of lights for next year.

            Becky Smith said that the zaniness started in 1999 when her husband-also famous for his third-generation eggnog – started with around 10,000 lights.  Four years later, they’re the king and queen of the twinkling hill. 

            “I’m sort of the enabler and he’s the addicted one,” Becky said Saturday.  “He says he’s really relaxed when he’s up in the top of the tree.”

            One voter said the entire neighborhood caught the holiday spirit from the Smiths.  “Everybody’s getting their lights out.”

            Becky Smith said the couple don’t know how much they spend on lights and electricity, But she knows it’s a lot.   “I probably don’t want to know,” she said.  “We just kind of blindly get the go-for-the-flow fever.”

            The Smith’s home and neighborhood off Magnolia Beach Road are far from the only ones with spectacular displays.  A home at 2022 Clay Avenue got a special mention because of its NASCAR theme.  Its lights formed the numbers of race cars. 

Check ‘em out
Among the sites for dazzling displays,
according to callers in Saturday's survey: