‘Clinton Christmas Trail’ offers map, sets special times for viewing
Brian Ford, who is promoting this year’s ‘Clinton Christmas Trail,’ stands in his decorated yard in Clinton.
He calls it the Clinton Christmas Trail, an event in which people stay in their cars and follow an interactive map to find homes and businesses that are all decked out in holiday lights and decorations.
While the homes and businesses on the Christmas Trail map will have their lights on and decorations up all through the season for people to see, Ford has designated two days for the residents of the properties to dress up and come out in their yards to greet people coming by to see the décor.
Those are this weekend. Friday and Saturday, from 6 to 9 p.m.
Using a special website created just for the season – clintonchristmastrail.com – people can add their home or business addresses to the map, which others can then use to guide them to the most-festive spots in town.
“Let’s bring the Christmas spirit to Clinton in a different way this year with the Clinton Christmas Trail,” the website says. “Decorate your yard and dress for the occasion.
“Let us know where you will be, and we will provide a map for people to drive around and enjoy the beauty and joy!”
Ford said he got the idea for the Christmas trail from seeing something similar with the Dogwood Arts Festival and its associated Dogwood Trail.
“When they canceled the parade, I wanted to create a way for people to stay together safely in their family groups and drive to see the Christmas lights and spread the holiday joy,” said Ford, a lifelong Clinton resident who runs a ministry for athletes.
“The idea struck me because of the way they did the Dogwood festival and the Dogwood Trail,” he said. While the homes and businesses on the Christmas Trail map will have their lights on and decorations up all through the season for people to see, Ford has designated two days for the residents of the properties to dress up and come out in their yards to greet people coming by to see the holiday décor.
Those are Friday and Saturday, Dec. 11-12, from 6 to 9 p.m., Ford said.
“We set those days in case people want to be out in their yards and hand out candy or whatever,” he said. “But of course, people can drive by anytime. Most people have already decorated at least some.”
As of Monday afternoon, the Clinton Christmas Trail map on the website already had more than 100 entries, and Ford said he hopes to see it go over 200. While most so far are in Clinton or close by, there are also a few in Andersonville and Rocky Top.
“The more, the merrier,” Ford said. “We’re just trying to get as many people involved as we can.” The website was designed by Todd Temple with T2 Designs, Ford said. “We’re trying to do this with as little investment as we can, and I think we’ve spent about $50 so far..”
In the interest of protecting privacy, people do have to ask to have their decorated homes or businesses listed on the map, Ford said.
“If people tell me where they live, I’ll put it on the map for them,” he said.
Norris is doing a similar effort called “Norris Shines,” in which that city’s residents are urged to go all out with lights.ike to see some of the well-decorated Norris homes added to the map for the Clinton Christmas Trail.