In August 2006, after an hour-long meeting in Frisco, Texas, a concept was drawn up on a napkin that would forever change the face of Christmas lights communities across the state.

Prior to this meeting, members of the same geographical area knew each other through communications on a message board. The idea of meeting at a restaurant for lunch, or gathering in some one’s home for a few hours to simply shoot the breeze was a foreign concept. However, these ideas along with the principals of using real names the Texas Christmas Lights (TCL) concept was born among enthusiasts around the country.

Texas Christmas Lights has brought people together outside of Christmas lights. True friendships have formed across the state. People help each other out with new ideas for their displays, or when something goes wrong at home or in life. Now instead of sending someone a PM on a message board, they pick up the phone and call, or simply knock on the door.

CLC launched in July 2007 with 2 states designated at “Charter Members.” These states, Texas and California, and their respective state coordinators, put in many hours of work to launch CLC at the national level.