Thousands follow TV’s spotlight to Sonoma County Christmas light displays

A week after winning the $50,000 grand prize on ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight,” Rohnert Park resident Scott Weaver’s Disney-themed Christmas light display has grown from a local attraction to a regional phenomenon, with people traveling from San Francisco, the East Bay and San Jose to see the show.

More than 2,000 people visited Weaver’s Winter Wonderland on a single night recently, following Weaver’s big win, when he took home a giant trophy shaped like a Christmas tree light bulb. His extravagant holiday display, unlike any other in Sonoma County, has become so popular that traffic often wraps around winding streets in the sleepy Rohnert Park neighborhood. Crowds of people bundled in winter coats, some carrying coffee and hot chocolate, regularly pack the streets during December for the holiday festivity.

“This is magnificent,” said Santa Rosa resident Lisa Whitt, whose smiling face was illuminated by thousands of lights, as she stood alongside her teenage son and daughter. “It’s like Disneyland.”

Like dozens of others, it was Whitt’s first time vising the holiday attraction at 1190 Cielo Circle. Weaver started building the display 20 years ago, but he said this week that the crowds have been growing larger by the night.

“I’m so honored to have this many people in my driveway, and I’m getting more calls every day from news organizations and TV stations,” Weaver said. “This whole thing has just been a blast.”

Santa Rosa resident Debbie Cortese came out for the lights two nights in a row this week.

“I’ve hated this time of year for so long, but this has given Christmas back to me,” said Cortese, 55, who said a family death left her depressed. “It’s just so magical.”

Now, Jim and Theresa Mortensen are vying for the same triumph Weaver has experienced. Their gingerbread-themed house at 150 Melva Court in Windsor is one of four houses selected from across the country for this week’s episode of “The Great Christmas Light Fight,” set to air Monday at 8 p.m.

Each episode, a winner is chosen from among four entrants for the extreme Christmas light competition. The season consists of six episodes - aired in pairs for three Mondays in December. Winners take home the giant holiday light trophy and $50,000. Out of the 24 houses in the competition, Sonoma County has had two finalists.

Jim Mortensen said he found inspiration for his giant gingerbread-style house from his grandmother and from Weaver in Rohnert Park.

“When I saw his house, I thought it was so unique and different,” Mortensen said as he waved to passers-by outside his home, lit with hundreds of lights controlled by a computer in his living room.

“Bye bye, Merry Christmas,” Mortensen bellowed to a small crowd of visitors.

Mortensen and his wife didn’t come to the decision to join the national competition easily. Their 26-year-old daughter died recently, after the couple already had agreed to interview for the show. But they eventually decided to participate, concluding that the process of putting up lights, building the decorations and crafting the gingerbread-style house with family and friends was a way to work through their loss. Their daughter’s death left behind an 8-year-old granddaughter.

“We said we need to do this for our granddaughter - to keep going,” Mortensen said. “The process has been healing, and it’s been wonderful to be able to see people experience joy.”

In remembrance of their daughter, the Mortensens built an angel figurine that adorns the house. Dozens of miniature gingerbread cutouts dot the front lawn, and other familiar characters can be seen throughout - there’s the Grinch, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, Charlie Brown and a wooden cutout of Will Farrell’s character in the movie “Elf.”

“We came up with (the gingerbread cutouts) because it’s just so synonymous with Christmas,” Mortensen said. “And the gingerbread house because, hey, what kid doesn’t like to look at candy?”

Though the crowd outside the Mortensens was smaller than at the Weavers’ house, people who came to see the decorations were no less enthusiastic.

“We wanted to come see this before Monday,” said Katrina Eicher, who brought her two daughters along with her husband, Carlos Quezada.

The family already had visited Weaver’s Winter Wonderland in Rohnert Park, and were gearing up for Monday’s show featuring the Mortensen house.

“I like this one better,” Eicher’s daughter said to her mom, pointing to the light display.

For Weaver, his crowds continue to grow. He estimated that 2,000 people came out Thursday night, and by Friday at 7 p.m., he’d already counted 3,000 faces.

As for his winnings, he plans to take his family to Disneyland, and treat his wife to a vacation.

“Oh, and more candy canes,” Weaver said.

You can reach Staff Writer Angela Hart at 526-8503 or angela.hart@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter ?@ahartreports.