Baird’s annual Christmas Lights will turn on Dec. 10

What started out as a way to make his children happier during the holidays has snowballed into an event that has made hundreds of people’s holidays brighter for the past five decades.
Jack Baird’s Christmas lights in rural Red Oak will be turned on for this year’s opening night on Saturday, Dec. 10. The display lights up nightly from 5 to 10 p.m. through Jan. 1. Special late hour requests can’t be accommodated as some of the lights are on timers, while others require manual switch controls.
Jack Baird, the backbone of the operation, said it all started when he threw some Christmas lights up on a fence outside their home when his kids were in elementary school.
“Our kids were little at the time and they really liked them. They wanted to know if we could put more up the next year, so we extended it around the place a little bit and the next thing we knew, cars were stopping,” Jack recalled. “We kept on expanding a little more each year.”
As the children got older, their roles evolved in terms of responsibilities on the annual tradition. When people marry or are born into the family, they automatically become a part of the light’s display team. Son Chris, who always worked closely with his dad, has stepped up to take the lead with planning, set up and coordinating projects.
“Jack is still actively involved with roles like preparing strings of lights for hanging, offering suggestions on display components and always enjoying daily updates on the set up,” said Chris. “A nightly highlight for Jack continues to be looking at the cards and occasional drawings left by a child in the box by the driveway or received in the mail.”
Animated light displays at Baird’s range from a ferris wheel, horse and carriage, combine, and helicopter to an 18 foot tall saluting soldier. Some of the displays have been constructed by the Bairds; others were purchased. Although these lit displays are only viewable to the public for a few weeks out of the year, it takes months to get them ready. However, he added LED lights and solid state controllers have been lifesavers over the older models.
“I don’t have a favorite display. I like them all, except for when they don’t work,” Jack chuckled. “This stuff hardly ever runs smooth. Since it is our hobby, we just do it, cold weather and all.”
The worst weather Baird recalls was in early 2000 when they weren’t able to have too many nightly performances due to the weather.
“Night after night we had to shut them down because the weather was so bad,” Jack said. “We’ve also had years where there hasn’t been any snow. The weather makes a big difference.”
For those partaking in the well-known light display, there is a donation box to help defray the costs affiliated. Jack said they never intended to have the box, but people kept leaving money in the mailbox, which isn’t always a safe and secure place.
The numbers of cars that pass by the Bairds each year aren’t counted, but Jack suspects he’s on his third or fourth generation of families who take their children to see the lights each year.
“You don’t have to get out of the car. You don’t have to do anything except drive by a couple times to see it all. It’s a pretty safe event,” Jack said.
There are people who wonder how many more years the Baird Christmas Lights will be an event, but Jack says not to worry.
“It has gotten to the point where we want to see what we can do,” said Jack.
Chris said there are many friends and family members who pitch in where needed to make it all come together. In addition to Chris and his wife, Christine, other family members helping Jack keep the tradition going include son Kirk, son-in-law Scott Suchting, grandchildren Jordan, Garrett, and Michelle and Sandy Severn. The Facebook page, Bairds Christmas Lights is a great source of the latest updates on the display and any weather related changes. It is managed by granddaughter Kaitlin Suchting,
While many items have been a part of the display for decades, the family loves to continue introducing new features. Last year an airplane was added, and this year more cutout characters will make their debut. Chris said the first week or so, more things are added, so it’s a good idea to visit the lights a couple times during the season.
“We’ve always done it as a family, that’s the main thing, and to enjoy it. It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s worth it,” said Chris.