Theodore Holiday Display Seeks a Return to USA Today Reader-Voted List
A popular Mobile-area holiday attraction is once again competing for national recognition. Bellingrath Gardens and Home’s Magic Christmas in Lights in Theodore has been nominated for USA Today’s annual Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights ranking, where readers vote for the top public displays in the country.
The Theodore gardens previously made the USA Today list in 2018, finishing in sixth place nationally in a reader-choice ranking of the best public light displays. Callaway Gardens in Georgia edged out Bellingrath in the closing hours of that year’s voting to claim the fifth spot.
Guests who visit the sprawling attraction get to tour a dazzling light display spread across Bellingrath Gardens’ 65-acre property. The grounds are open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the last tickets for Magic Christmas in Lights sold at 9 p.m.
A Made-in-Alabama Tradition
The display, now more than 25 years old, has a distinctly home-grown character. According to Bellingrath’s website, every element of the light show is designed, welded, painted and wired by Bellingrath staff, with three employees working full-time all year on the display alone. Each set piece is built on the grounds, giving the attraction a uniquely handmade quality that sets it apart from larger, corporate-produced holiday shows.
Bellingrath is not the only Alabama property up for consideration. Huntsville Botanical Garden’s Galaxy of Lights is also on the 2022 nomination list. Other regional competitors include two Florida displays, Dazzling Nights at Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando and Lights in Bloom at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, as well as two Georgia entries, Garden Lights Holiday Nights at Atlanta Botanical Garden and Fantasy In Lights at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain.
USA Today’s annual ranking relies on reader votes collected through its website over a set period each fall, making community support a key factor in a property’s final placement. Bellingrath Gardens and Home has long been among the most recognized Southern entries in the national competition.