Christmas Forest is ablaze with lights in Bath County

Hot Springs, Va. – Christmas Forest is ablaze with lights in Bath County

The festive celebration of holiday music, lights and shows features almost one million lights and more than fifty Christmas trees

Christmas Forest is ablaze with lights again this year in Bath County. This is the sixth year that Jordan Ford, along with his family’s help, has created this festive celebration of holiday music, lights and shows at their home. Jordan Ford is a junior at Bath County High School.

“We actually have near one million twinkling lights this year,” says Ford. “Ninety five percent of our display uses the energy efficient LED light bulbs, so we’re not using the old incandescent bulbs, so it saves on our energy bills a lot. To run our display on a single night, it’s equal to running four clothes dryers. So compared to the old incandescent bulbs its very energy efficient. We have over a mile of extension cords to light up our displays. We have over fifty Christmas trees lighting up our pathways throughout the forest.”

Christmas Forest features light shows and different themed areas throughout, like Polar Pathway and A Country Christmas.

“This year we actually have a new area called Highland Drive,” says Ford. “You can take a stroll under the star filled skies where you travel back to simpler times of a Scottish Christmas. Also we have Miracle Lane and we have extended that into new pathways. And our North Pole has actually received a facelift this year. We’ve added over thirty thousand lights to our house fa ade alone and it’s synchronized to various light shows throughout the night. We do have returning favorites like A Country Christmas. And then we have our light shows throughout the night, O Christmas Tree. We have a light animated Christmas tree that dances to music starting at 6:30 running every half hour.”

In order to update and expand Christmas Forest each year, Ford hits the after Christmas sales to stock up on new lights at discounted prices.

“The biggest challenge is putting the lights up in high areas, because of course we have to find a bucket truck or get the shaky ladders out,” says Ford. “And that’s a challenge because my Dad and I, of course, are afraid of heights.”
With a light display the size of Christmas Forest, it takes five months to get ready.

“So in July we sort of start our planning process and then we start building stuff,” says Ford. “And then from August on, until the opening day, it’s quite hectic in putting everything together for opening night. It goes back to seeing the smile on everyone’s face. It’s a lot of work, but once you see that smile, it really pays off.”

Christmas Forest is located on Grandview Road in Hot Springs. It’s open until January first and you can drive by the display Monday through Thursday from 6 to 9pm. You can walk through Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6 to 9pm. Christmas Forest is closed to visitors on Christmas Day. For more information, visit the website celebratechristmasforest.com.