Meet the “Queen of Christmas Lights”

RAPID CITY, S.D. — She’s been dubbed the “Queen of Christmas Lights” so it’s no surprise that it’s her favorite time of year.

Christmas Lights

Kristine Briggs of Rapid City says, “Christmas is my favorite holiday, more so than my birthday. I would rather celebrate Christmas than my birthday. I love Christmas that much. I love the lights. I’m crazy. I don’t know why, but I just I really like Christmas lights.”

The festive display is as much for her as it is everyone who passes by.

Kristine says, “I like seeing people as they slow down and they stop, so I know they’re enjoying the lights as much as I do because they’re out looking at them and, you know, for everybody to just enjoy.”

The fascination with the twinkle show began at a young age and for the most part, it’s Kristine putting in the man hours.

“It’s just me. They all tolerate my Christmas decorating. Ever since I was little, I’ve always just enjoyed Christmas and the lights and my dad’s not a big decorator, so I would always decorate at the house when I was a kid too. I’m up on the roof, I climb the roof and the ladder, and I put the lights up there and I’m out on our twelve-foot ladder with a light pole hanging lights from the trees,” says Kristine.

She begins putting up lights in October and does the big reveal after Thanksgiving dinner; she likes to change it up every year.

Kristine adds, “And every year, you know, it’s a little bit different, and I do a little bit more and replace a little bit more. This year I splurged, and I got a couple of new things because I had in the last couple of years. And I usually try to buy everything at the end of the year when it’s all clearance, but I think a lot of people are catching on and doing the exact same thing, so finding things is a little bit more of a challenge.”

Christmas Lights

You can take in Kristine’s light show if you take the “Tour de Lights” in Rapid City. Click here for a map link.