The Great Christmas Light Fight

2013 American TV series or program The Great Christmas Light FightGenre Competition Reality television Judges Michael Moloney Sabrina Soto Carter Oosterhouse Taniya Nayak Narrated byBrian FairleeCountry of originUnited StatesOriginal languageEnglishNo. of seasons13No. of episodes82ProductionExecutive producers Brady Connell Max Swedlow Thom Beers (2013–2014) Jennifer Mullin Production locationVarious LocationsRunning time42–44 minutesProduction companies Base Camp Films Fremantle North America Original releaseNetworkABCReleaseDecember 9, 2013 (2013-12-09) –present The Great Christmas Light Fight (originally titled Lights, Camera, Christmas! in development) is an American reality television competition show that premiered on December 9, 2013, on ABC. The seasonal miniseries is traditionally scheduled in a double-run of two hour-long episodes, all airing Mondays in the first three weeks of December annually as part of ABC's seasonal programming lineup (branded from 2017 to 2018 as 25 Days of Christmas). On November 2, 2023, the series was renewed for a twelfth season, which premiered on December 5, 2024, with a thirteenth season already confirmed.

[edit] Each episode of The Great Christmas Light Fight features a series of families or groups that create elaborate Christmas light displays. The contestants are chosen in advance by producers. The displays are judged on three categories: use of lights, overall design, and Christmas spirit. Each display is first individually featured, then the judge or judges review the display and its specific details. Once all contestants have been reviewed, a winner is chosen, and the judges return to the winner to congratulate them. The winner of each week's episode wins $50,000 and a holiday-themed trophy. The series had its first Halloween-themed special episode entitled The Great Halloween Fright Fight which aired on October 28, 2014. The judging criteria for these specials is similar to the regular Christmas episodes, with three factors: overall design, Halloween spirit, and creativity. On October 2, 2023, two more of these special episodes were announced for the 2023 season.

[edit] SeasonEpisodesOriginally releasedFirst releasedLast released15December 9, 2013 (2013-12-09)December 23, 2013 (2013-12-23)SpecialOctober 28, 2014 (2014-10-28)26December 8, 2014 (2014-12-08)December 22, 2014 (2014-12-22)36December 7, 2015 (2015-12-07)December 21, 2015 (2015-12-21)46December 5, 2016 (2016-12-05)December 19, 2016 (2016-12-19)56December 4, 2017 (2017-12-04)December 18, 2017 (2017-12-18)67November 26, 2018 (2018-11-26)December 17, 2018 (2018-12-17)76December 2, 2019 (2019-12-02)December 16, 2019 (2019-12-16)86December 9, 2020 (2020-12-09)December 23, 2020 (2020-12-23)96November 28, 2021 (2021-11-28)December 2, 2021 (2021-12-02)106November 28, 2022 (2022-11-28)December 12, 2022 (2022-12-12)Specials2October 22, 2023 (2023-10-22)October 29, 2023 (2023-10-29)117November 26, 2023 (2023-11-26)December 19, 2023 (2023-12-19)126December 5, 2024 (2024-12-05)December 19, 2024 (2024-12-19)136December 4, 2025 (2025-12-04)December 18, 2025 (2025-12-18) Season 1 (2013)[edit] No.overallNo. inseasonTitleOriginal release dateProd.code U.S. viewers(millions)11"Episode One"December 9, 2013 (2013-12-09)1015.50 22"Episode Two"December 16, 2013 (2013-12-16)1024.04 33"Episode Three"December 16, 2013 (2013-12-16)1034.04 44"Episode Four"December 23, 2013 (2013-12-23)1044.95 55"Episode Five"December 23, 2013 (2013-12-23)1054.95 Special (2014)[edit] No.overallTitleOriginal release dateU.S. viewers(millions)6"SPECIAL: The Great Halloween Fright Fight"October 28, 2014 (2014-10-28)3.75 Season 2 (2014)[edit] No.overallNo. inseasonTitleOriginal release dateProd.code U.S. viewers(millions)71"Episode 1"December 8, 2014 (2014-12-08)2016.83 82"Episode 2"December 8, 2014 (2014-12-08)2026.83 93"Episode 3"December 15, 2014 (2014-12-15)2035.30 104"Episode 4"December 15, 2014 (2014-12-15)2045.30 115"Episode 5"December 22, 2014 (2014-12-22)2065.88 126"Episode 6: The Season Finale"December 22, 2014 (2014-12-22)2055.88 Season 3 (2015)[edit] No.overallNo. inseasonTitleOriginal release dateProd.code U.S. viewers(millions)131"Season Premiere: Episode 1"December 7, 2015 (2015-12-07)3015.14 142"Episode 2"December 7, 2015 (2015-12-07)3025.14 153"Episode 3: Neighborhood Edition"December 14, 2015 (2015-12-14)3044.39 164"Episode 4"December 14, 2015 (2015-12-14)3034.39 175"Episode 5"December 21, 2015 (2015-12-21)3055.64 186"Episode 6: The Season Finale"December 21, 2015 (2015-12-21)3065.64 Season 4 (2016)[edit] No.overallNo. inseasonTitleOriginal release dateProd.code U.S. viewers(millions)191"Season Premiere: Episode 1"December 5, 2016 (2016-12-05)4015.43 202"Episode 2"December 5, 2016 (2016-12-05)4025.43 213"Episode 3"December 12, 2016 (2016-12-12)4034.64 224"Episode 4"December 12, 2016 (2016-12-12)4044.64 235"Episode 5"December 19, 2016 (2016-12-19)4064.51 246"Episode 6"December 19, 2016 (2016-12-19)4054.51 Season 5 (2017)[edit] No.overallNo. inseasonTitleOriginal release dateProd.code U.S. viewers(millions)251"Season 5 Premiere: Episode 1"December 4, 2017 (2017-12-04)5025.20 262"Episode 2"December 4, 2017 (2017-12-04)5035.20 273"Episode 3"December 11, 2017 (2017-12-11)5044.31 284"Episode 4"December 11, 2017 (2017-12-11)5054.31 295"Episode 5"December 18, 2017 (2017-12-18)5014.23 306"Episode 6: Season Finale"December 18, 2017 (2017-12-18)5064.23 Season 6 (2018)[edit] No.overallNo. inseasonTitleOriginal release dateProd.code U.S. viewers(millions)311"Season 6 Premiere: Episode 1"November 26, 2018 (2018-11-26)6024.66 322"Episode 2"November 26, 2018 (2018-11-26)6014.66 333"Episode 3"December 3, 2018 (2018-12-03)6035.01 344"Episode 4"December 3, 2018 (2018-12-03)6045.01 355"Episode 5: All Stars"December 10, 2018 (2018-12-10)6073.34 366"Episode 6"December 17, 2018 (2018-12-17)6053.85 377"Episode 7: Season Finale"December 17, 2018 (2018-12-17)6063.85 Season 7 (2019)[edit] No.overallNo. inseasonTitleOriginal release date Prod.code U.S. viewers(millions)381"Season 7 Premiere: Episode 1"December 2, 2019 (2019-12-02)7013.79 392"Episode 2"December 2, 2019 (2019-12-02)7043.79 403"Episode 3"December 9, 2019 (2019-12-09)7033.82 414"Episode 4"December 9, 2019 (2019-12-09)7063.82 425"Episode 5"December 16, 2019 (2019-12-16)7023.27 436"Episode 6: Season Finale"December 16, 2019 (2019-12-16)7053.27 Season 8 (2020)[edit] No.overallNo. inseasonTitleOriginal release date Prod.code U.S. viewers(millions)441"Season 8 Premiere: Episode 1"December 9, 2020 (2020-12-09)8024.02 452"Episode 2"December 9, 2020 (2020-12-09)8054.02 463"Episode 3"December 16, 2020 (2020-12-16)8033.69 474"Episode 4"December 16, 2020 (2020-12-16)8043.69 485"Episode 5"December 23, 2020 (2020-12-23)8062.73 496"Episode 6: Season Finale"December 23, 2020 (2020-12-23)8012.70 Season 9 (2021)[edit] No.overallNo. inseasonTitleOriginal release date Prod.code U.S. viewers(millions)501"Season 9 Premiere: Episode 1"November 28, 2021 (2021-11-28)9012.39 512"Episode 2"November 28, 2021 (2021-11-28)9022.39 523"Episode 3"November 29, 2021 (2021-11-29)9062.23 534"Episode 4"November 29, 2021 (2021-11-29)9032.23 545"Episode 5"December 2, 2021 (2021-12-02)9041.82 556"Episode 6: Season Finale"December 2, 2021 (2021-12-02)9051.82 Season 10 (2022)[edit] No.overallNo. inseasonTitleOriginal release date Prod.code U.S. viewers(millions)561"Season 10 Premiere: Episode 1"November 28, 2022 (2022-11-28)10012.81 572"Episode 2"November 28, 2022 (2022-11-28)10042.81 583"Episode 3"December 5, 2022 (2022-12-05)10032.60 594"Episode 4"December 5, 2022 (2022-12-05)10022.60 605"Episode 5"December 12, 2022 (2022-12-12)10062.54 616"Episode 6: Season Finale"December 12, 2022 (2022-12-12)10052.54 Specials (2023)[edit] No.overallTitleOriginal release date Prod.code U.S. viewers(millions)62"The Great Halloween Fright Fight: Episode 1"October 22, 2023 (2023-10-22)2011.11 63"The Great Halloween Fright Fight: Episode 2"October 29, 2023 (2023-10-29)2021.73 Season 11 (2023)[edit] No.overallNo. inseasonTitleOriginal release date Prod.code U.S. viewers(millions)641"Season 11 Premiere: Episode 1: All-Stars 2"November 26, 2023 (2023-11-26)11071.76 652"Episode 2"December 3, 2023 (2023-12-03)11051.90 663"Episode 3"December 10, 2023 (2023-12-10)11021.39 674"Episode 4: Heavyweights"December 12, 2023 (2023-12-12)11062.05 685"Episode 5"December 12, 2023 (2023-12-12)11032.05 696"Episode 6"December 19, 2023 (2023-12-19)11041.78 707"Episode 7: Season Finale"December 19, 2023 (2023-12-19)11011.78 Season 12 (2024)[edit] No.overallNo. inseasonTitleOriginal release date Prod.code U.S. viewers(millions)711"Season 12 Premiere: Episode 1"December 5, 2024 (2024-12-05)12032.35 722"Episode 2"December 5, 2024 (2024-12-05)12022.35 733"Episode 3"December 12, 2024 (2024-12-12)12042.34 744"Episode 4"December 12, 2024 (2024-12-12)12012.34 755"Episode 5"December 19, 2024 (2024-12-19)12052.12 766"Episode 6: Season Finale"December 19, 2024 (2024-12-19)12062.12 Season 13 (2025)[edit] No.overallNo. inseasonTitleOriginal release date Prod.code U.S. viewers(millions)771"The Holiday Express"December 4, 2025 (2025-12-04)13052.32 782"Santa's Making His List"December 4, 2025 (2025-12-04)13061.92 793"Christmas Vacation"December 11, 2025 (2025-12-11)1302N/A 804"Holiday Igloomination"December 11, 2025 (2025-12-11)1301N/A 815"You Decked My Battleship"December 18, 2025 (2025-12-18)1303N/A 826"It's Gonna Be Elftastic"December 18, 2025 (2025-12-18)1304N/A

British viewers love a good dose of visual spectacle as the days grow darker, and the Great Christmas Light Fight delivers exactly that. Each episode turns suburban backyards into glowing galleries, offering a quick, high‑energy escape from the usual holiday rush. The format—two‑hour double‑runs over three Mondays—fits neatly into the BBC’s own December schedule, giving families a predictable weekend ritual. The competitive element adds a narrative hook that keeps audiences tuning in, while the judges’ blend of design, engineering and DIY expertise gives the programme a credibility that feels fresh compared with more scripted festive fare.

If you’re planning a cosy night in, treat the show like a mini‑DIY workshop. Pause before each reveal and note the lighting tricks—battery‑powered LEDs, synchronized music playlists, or weather‑proof timers—that you could try on your own garden. Pair the episode with seasonal snacks that don’t distract from the visual feast: mulled cider, mince pies, and a platter of cheese. Encourage guests to vote for their favourite display, then discuss which ideas could be adapted for a modest indoor décor project. A quick post‑show brainstorming session can turn passive watching into a springboard for your own festive lighting ambitions.

Many assume the participants are professional stylists with deep pockets, but the series proves otherwise. A large proportion are hobbyists who start with a single strand of fairy lights and gradually build elaborate installations over years. Their budgets often rely on recycled materials, community donations or sponsorships from local electrical suppliers. Understanding this grassroots spirit helps viewers appreciate the ingenuity on display and may inspire viewers to start small—perhaps a single illuminated wreath—rather than feeling daunted by the massive productions shown on screen.