We’ve made it to the end! Thanks for sticking with me for this special series and experiment—I hope it’s given you some options for festive reality TV.

If it’s brought you particular joy, would you consider supporting reality blurred?

Thanks for considering and reading. Back to the normal Friday newsletter tomorrow!

But first…

13. The Great Christmas Light Fight

The holiday magic

ABC says ► “the most elaborate and awe-inspiring holiday displays in the nation”

why I recommend it ► incredible lights and endless creativity are on display

where to watch ►

• free: ABC (Thursdays at 9) • Pluto TV’s Spaces & Places channel
• subscription: Hulu

Why you should watch

ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight has become an annual holiday tradition in our house. Its showcase of spectacular holiday light displays—and often, so much more than lights—that people construct on their homes across the country.

In each episode, we’re introduced to four holiday light displays. A judge visits and chooses one to win $50,000 at the end of the episode. But the real magic is the displays themselves.

We meet the person, family, neighbors, and/or friends who’ve put the display together, and learn about what they do and how they do it.

But everything from the contest to the backstory are really beside the point, and the show just gets out of the way to show off the main attraction: lights. So many lights!

Where do these people keep these lights? And might they need to call Matt Paxton? Seriously, though: There is no real battle, there are just families doing what they always do by bringing joy to their neighbors with their often insane light displays.

Watch some clips here, or turn on Pluto’s channel that’s streaming it 24/7 right now, and just bask in the glow of holiday traditions, creativity, and people working together to bring joy to others.

And happy holidays! 🎊 🕎 🎄 🎅🏽

✨ 13 Days of Holiday Reality TV ✨

1. Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge
2. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
3. Finding Mr. Christmas
4. Baking It
5. Lidia Celebrates America
6. Thanksgiving Grubdown and Macy's Thanksgiving Cake Spectacular
7. Wrapped and The Ultimate Gift Wrapping Challenge
8. Small Town Security
9. Blown Away: Christmas
10. Top Elf & Elf on the Shelf: Sweet Showdown
11. The Last Alaskans
12. The Great Pottery Throw Down

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