Now's the time to enjoy the sparkle, glitter and shine of the season. For many of us that means a trip - or two or three or more - to enjoy displays of massive numbers of Christmas and holiday lights.
Of course every neighborhood's got that house - the one that goes all out with the lights, decorations and extension cords. But beyond the yard art, there are the large displays that make one wonder - can you really see all those lights from space?
Here are six light displays in East Tennessee worth a trip and a look.
Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas
Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas features 4 million lights throughout the Pigeon Forge amusement park. Lights shine on buildings, in gardens and during the park's Parade of Many Colors.
The park's annual holiday celebration also includes shows from "Christmas in the Smokies" to "It's a Wonderful Life" and appearances by the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer characters.
This year's Smoky Mountain Christmas continues through Jan. 3, 2018. Dollywood is closed for a few days during the season, and hours vary. See www.dollywood.com for the calendar.
One-day admission is $69 for ages 10 to 61, $56 for children ages 4 to 9, and $64 for ages 62 and older.
Sevier County's Winterfest
On the way to Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas, you can't help but see the wonder of Sevier County's holiday lights. Smoky Mountain Winterfest reports to have some 15 million lights in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevier County. That's a lot of wattage on buildings, in displays, decorations, holiday shows and more.
You can check out some of the lights by riding on the Gatlinburg Winter Magic Trolley Ride of Lights. Rides are 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. through Jan. 27. Cost is $5; children younger than age 3 can ride for free if they will sit on an adult's lap. Information is at www.gatlinburg.com.
Winterfest continues through Feb. 28, which means all those lights shine long after Christmas is packed away in other spots.
Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland
You don't need to drive far off Interstate 40 to see the holiday lights of Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland. This drive-through light display set to holiday music continues through Jan. 7 at the Tennessee Smokies Baseball Stadium, 3540 Line Drive in Kodak.
Visitors drive their vehicles through the display as they listen to music and watch the hundreds of thousands of lights shine, blink and sparkle to the musical programming.
Shadrack's Christmas Wonderful opens at dusk daily and remains open until 10 p.m. on weekdays, perhaps later on Saturdays and Sundays. There's also a Santa's Workshop with pony rides, a petting zoo and food to purchase.
Admission to the lights is $25 for cars or family vans, $40 for activity vans, limos and mini/half buses; and $80 for tour and school buses. Pony rides are $5; it's $2 to visit and feed the petting zoo animals.
Information's at http://shadrackchristmas.com/sevierville.
Rock City's Garden of Lights
Rock City's address is Lookout Mountain, Georgia, about one mile across the Tennessee-Georgia line. When most East Tennesseans think about Chattanooga, they include Rock City. After all, we've been told to "See Rock City" all our lives
With all the holiday lights, December's a good time to see Rock City - and a companion holiday exhibit at Ruby Falls.
Nearly 1 million LED lights and 30 holiday scenarios make up Rock City's Enchanted Garden of Lights. Its "North Pole Highway" branches off into themed paths named "Arctic Kingdom," "Magic Forest," "Yule Town" and "North Pole Village." This year's Magic Forest added trees that dance to programmed music.
Enchanted Garden of Lights is open 6-9 p.m. nightly through Jan. 6. Admission is $19.95 for adults Monday through Thursday, $22.95 for Friday through Sunday. Admission is $11.95 for children for Monday through Thursday, $12.95 Friday through Sunday. Information's at www.seerockcity.com/lights.
While there, see Ruby Falls Christmas Underground starting Dec. 1. The Lookout Mountain attraction is decorated like a Santa Claus underground mining town and open noon-8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday until Dec. 10, daily Dec. 14-23. Admission is $11.95 for ages 3 and older. Information's at www.rubyfalls.com/special-events/ruby-falls-christmas-underground/
Bristol's Speedway Lights Up
The Pinnacle Speedway in Bristol is decorated with more than 2 million lights in its annual holiday light show. Visitors travel through a route that's about five miles to see the more than 250 light displays.
Admission is $15 for cars Sunday through Thursday, $20 Friday and Saturday; $30 nightly for activity vans; and $100 nightly for buses.
The speedway's other holiday events include an ice rink ($5 a skater and $2 skate rental), and a Christmas Village of shops and food vendors. The 21st season of The Pinnacle Speedway in Lights goes through Jan 6.
Knox County's Holiday Festival of Lights
It's not as big as other public displays and it runs only through the last half of December. But The Holiday Festival of Lights at a Knox County park is a way to see holiday lights free.
The 19th annual Holiday Festival of Lights is 6-9 p.m. Dec. 15-30 at The Cove at Concord Park, 11808 S. Northshore Drive. The park's closed and the lights off Dec. 24-25.
Admission is free to the light displays along The Cove's three-quarters of a mile greenway trail. The displays are coordinated to music; there are also several thousands of lights displayed in the park's trees. Pets on leashes are welcome.
Visitors can help others by bringing non-perishable food items for The Love Kitchen. The Love Kitchen provides meals, clothes and emergency food packages to the homebound, homeless and unemployed.