By Mike Hazlip—
Colby and Jubilee Christensen’s home at Farmgate Way and Mariposa Avenue draws children of all ages each holiday season, and this year the Citrus Heights couple was featured in a nationally broadcast series.
ABC’s Great Christmas Light Fight features homes around the country decorated for Christmas, with families competing for a $50,000 prize and trophy. The Christensen’s were featured in a recent episode for their efforts to transform their home into a Frozen themed wonderland complete with a water fall and ship. The episode aired November 29.
Jubilee Christensen told The Sentinel in an interview Wednesday that the filming took place over the course of three days last Christmas in 2020. She called the experience “Surreal.”
“We never did this to start off to be on the show, so we never thought we were good enough,” she said. “It was a shock to even be picked to be on it.”
Although the family did not win the prize, Great Christmas Light Fight host Carter Oosterhouse said the display brings the movie Frozen to life. There are clues hidden in the display, Christensen said, that hint at an unofficial expanded Disney story line known mostly to fans.
The family previously won the city’s Best Lights in Citrus Heights competition, but they are no longer eligible, Christensen said. In a Nov. 29 release, the city said the family is “Famous for bringing the holiday spirit to our community.”
Christensen said they plan to “go dark” next year, but plan to return in 2023 with a modified display.
Last year, The Sentinel reported a deer was stolen from the Christensen’s display, prompting an outpouring of support from the community to replace the lighted decoration. The story was also broadcast by local news channels, and Christensen said one young girl named Lilly came from Elk Grove to give her $1.75 allowance to replace the decoration.
For security, Christensen said cameras have been installed around her yard, and a fence has been put up around the display. Lilly, however, gets VIP access each year, Christensen said.
