True Christmas spirit brightens Interlochen for 50th anniversary

Neighbors assure bright 50th year of Interlochen Lights

One of North Texas’ most iconic holiday traditions is marking a major milestone this year.

ARLINGTON, Texas - One of North Texas’ most iconic holiday traditions is marking a major milestone this year.

The Interlochen Christmas Lights attraction is celebrating 50 years of turning a quiet Arlington neighborhood into a holiday destination.

Interlochen Christmas Lights tradition

Nearly 200 homes and five decades of tradition culminated Friday, with a reminder that the brightest part of Christmas is the heart behind it. 

For 50 years, Christmas has shined a little brighter in this corner of Arlington.

For Barb Reed, Christmas lights were always a team effort — a labor of love she shared with her husband, Keith.

Barb says Keith could build anything he put his mind to. For years, Decembers at Interlochen were marked by Keith sitting in his workshop, toiling away on decorative trees and garlands.

Their display grew year after year, peaking at 35,000 lights until Christmas took a pause.

Keith passed away in 2021. After 62 years of marriage, the lights went dark.

"I just didn’t have the heart to do anything. In fact, I gave all my lights away," Barb said.

Numerous Christmases came and went. Then, as the 50th anniversary of this Texas tradition approached, what Barb didn’t expect was help from the Slater family.

Good Samaritans of Interlochen

Barb told FOX 4 she had made up her mind to get back in the game this year. That's where Noelle Slater and her family, residents of the Interlochen community, came in.

"We just wanted to do our part to keep the tradition going," Noelle said. "We want to lend an extra hand to anybody who needs it, to fill any dark spots."

The Slaters have been helping neighbors decorate all over Interlochen this year with donated items they collected.

"It’s a lot of work," Kyle Slater said. "Sometimes I’ll get up in the morning and I feel like a little elf: ‘Well, which houses do we have to hit today?’"

Top 10 Christmas destination

It may be powered by neighbors, but the reach is national. People Magazine just named Interlochen one of the top 10 Christmas light displays in America.    

More than 100,000 visitors are expected this season.

Arlington police say a little planning goes a long way.

"Expect it to take about an hour to get through the entire trail. Traffic is going to be moving pretty slow," Arlington PD's Tim Ciesco advised.

And as Interlochen celebrates its holiday heritage, one home shines a little brighter, and one legacy lives on.

"Miss him terribly," Barb said. "He was one of a kind."

Interlochen Christmas Lights opening night

The Interlochen lights officially begin Saturday, Dec. 13, and run nightly from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. through Christmas day. Admission is free.