Lighting Up Lakeland One Bulb at a Time
PHOTOS BY ALLIE BRINTON & JORDAN RANDALL
Near the end of the year, the sun sets early on Lake Hollingsworth. Those who enjoy walking the three mile loop in the evening may find that it is too dark for their liking after 5:30 p.m. In the middle of November, though, houses along the lake begin to twinkle to life, illuminating the path with yards and yards of white lights. Even with the lack of frosty air, these lights evoke the magic of Christmas past—Dad driving to Grandma’s house and Mom singing carols. When watching the neighborhood light displays zoom by was exhilarating, because it meant that family, food, and presents would be here soon. Brian Seeley’s business, Light up Lakeland, is behind many of these festive exterior light displays along Hollingsworth that allow Lakelanders to finally experience a white Christmas—or the closest they’ll get to one in Florida.
Brian Seeley founded the nonprofit Gospel Inc. in 2011 as a way to help the homeless community near Parker Street where he has lived for the past 15 years. Seeley earned his bachelor’s degree in theology in 2010 and his master’s in counseling in 2013 from Southeastern University. Light stringing wasn’t necessarily his plan all along, but since leaving Gospel Inc. and starting Looks Great Lakeland, the parent company of Light up Lakeland, he has grown to appreciate the idea of adding something beautiful to the world.
Light Up Lakeland is also a way for Seeley to continue his passion of helping people. The exterior Christmas lighting company began as an opportunity for men in the Parker street community to work and have a place to live.
The Light Up Lakeland team, which now serves nearly 100 clients, begins installing lights as early as October 1, and the job is not done until everything is taken down in January. During the holiday season, Seeley and his team typically work an intense schedule of 12 to 15 hour days, seven days a week.
“The goal for every house is that it looks perfect when it’s done.”
Even though the work can be stressful, according to Seeley, “there is something that’s rewarding about making things beautiful.”
When it comes to the design, each house is a bit different. While all of Seeley’s work has a similar clean, white light aesthetic, he and his team find the most unique parts of a home or business to highlight with their decorations. “There is…care involved in picking what to light up that’s going to emphasize the character of a home.”
Seeley describes himself (and his team) as perfectionists. In fact, he credits much of his business success to this mindset. The biggest lesson he has learned in his years of installing lights is to be dedicated to doing a job with excellence. “If you do that,” says Seeley, “business will follow, people will notice… and your business will grow ultimately.”
One of Seeley’s favorite homes to decorate is the home of Bob and Ginny Adams located along Lake Hollingsworth. The Adams have been customers since year one, and each year the homeowners receive letters thanking them for making the holidays a little bit brighter with their beautiful light display.
Ginny Adams and her husband, Bob, have lived on Lake Hollingsworth for 20 years. The Adams’ originally met Seeley through their daughter’s housekeeper and were impressed with his lighting work on their home. Mrs. Adams appreciates his attention to detail—he puts lights on every branch of her seven trees—and his dependability. If a bulb goes out, Seeley replaces it as soon as possible. The end result of Light Up Lakeland’s hard work at the Adams’ home is a beautiful tribute to the season of Christmas. The many white lights remind Mrs. Adams (and anyone walking around Lake Hollingsworth in December) of a New York street at Christmas time.
“It is beautiful. You just feel like you’re in heaven almost,” explains Adams.
“It is beautiful. You just feel like you’re in heaven almost.”
Because Florida lacks the typical “white Christmas,” Adams believes that having her lights up to replicate the look of sparkling snow is essential. She even opts to leave her decorations up through January so the “feeling of Christmas” can go on just a little bit longer. The lights outlining this home and the palm trees in front of it remind us in Lakeland that having a ‘green Christmas’ in Florida can be just as special as a snowy holiday.