Christmas Expo News

July 18-20, 2019 Core Conference
July 15-17, 2019 Pre-Show Workshops

Christmas Expo is the original international conference dedicated to do-it-yourself home decorators, lighting installers and commercial businesses. We know Christmas!

Make your hotel reservations early!

The Plaza Resort & Spa Conference Center
600 North Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32118

$99 Sunset view | $119 Coastal view | $139 Oceanfront | $159 Suites
Negotiated room rates are available 7/14 through 7/22, based on availability

All rooms are plus a $22/night resort fee. Resort fee includes free valet or garage parking, free Wi-Fi, local and 800 phone calls, access to the in-house fitness and business centers, swimming pool, lawn games, pool toys, bicycles, pool/beach towels and chairs and daily newspaper Monday through Friday. Also includes a $12 beverage credit, 2 free bottles of water in the room and the first hour of water sports rental equipment fee during your stay.

Hotel Reservations:

• Reservations for sunset and coastal view rooms may be made online
• Oceanfront and suite reservations must be made by phone
• We suggest making reservations by phone

*** 1-866-500-5630 ***
Ask for CHRISTMAS EXPO room block

Hotel Amenities:

• Beachfront (traffic free)
• Full service European spa, hair and nail salon
  • Christmas Expo hotel guests receive 10% off spa services
• Staffed convenience market
• Valet or garage parking
• Fitness Center
• Business Center
• Outdoor pool and pool games
• Watersport equipment rentals
• Poolside Bar and Grill
• Lobby Bar
• In-house restaurant
• Organized activities
• Short walk to the Boardwalk and Daytona Beach Pier
• 15 minutes from Daytona Beach International Airport
• 1 hr and 13 minutes from Orlando International Airport

The Plaza Resort & Spa Conference Center
600 North Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach, FL 32118
866-500-5630

These cookies were featured in our “Straight from Mrs. Claus’ Recipe Box” class

Pecan Pie Cookies have a thin flaky crust with a layer of the amazing, nutty, caramel-y pecan pie filling we love so much! These are the perfect cookies for any occasion.

Ingredients

• 1 prepared single pie crust (homemade or purchased)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup pecans chopped
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup semi sweet or milk chocolate chip for decorating

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine butter, pecans, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt and eggs. While constantly stirring, cook on the stove-top over medium-low heat just until thickened. (You don’t want it dry, just slightly thickened, about the consistency of pudding). Remove from heat and set aside.
• Unroll dough and using a 3″ cookie cutter, cut out circles. Gently fold about 1/8-1/4″ up on the edges.
• Spoon 1 tablespoon of the pecan mixture into each circle.
• Place on a parchment lined pan (it’s important to line it) and bake 8 minutes or until filling is just set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
• OPTIONAL:  Place chocolate chips in a small Ziploc bag. Microwave about 15 seconds or until mostly melted. Snip off a tiny corner of the baggie and drizzle chocolate over the cookies. Cool until set.

Chef Joe Patrick, Eat Cake Productions
Dallas, TX

Christmas Expo is heading back to Dallas, TX!

After looking at numerous cities, it was that great Texas hospitality that was the deciding factor. We’ve just returned from Dallas where contracts were signed and Christmas cookies were eaten (yes, they baked Christmas cookies for us!) and we know you’re going to LOVE the new location – it couldn’t be any better if Santa had picked it himself.

The Mesquite Convention Center, just northeast of Dallas, is a perfect facility for us. Offering easy parking and easy access, the vendor hall and the classrooms are within steps of each other. No more running up and down stairs!

In addition, the facility is attached via a short, enclosed walkway to the Hampton Inn & Suites, Mesquite. It boasts a large lobby and a large pool deck, perfect for meeting up with friends old and new, as well as that all-important networking. If you haven’t been able to snag a reservation in the Hampton, our backup hotel is the TownePlace Suites Dallas/Mesquite and it’s right across the street!

See you in Mesquite!

Thank you Nashville!

• See a video from Nashville NewsChannel5’s visit to Christmas Expo
• Read an article in the Lebanon Democrat

ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight is casting now for 2016. If you’ve been watching the show, you’ve seen many of our Christmas Expo family compete and a few have even won the $50,000!

The producers of The Great Christmas Light Fight are looking right now for over the top displays for their 4th annual televised competition – 24 homes will be chosen to compete for a 1 in 4 chance to win $50,000 and the coveted trophy.

If you think you have what it takes, don’t take down your Christmas decorations this year until you’ve taken a video of your display.
• Videos should not exceed 10 minutes
• Introduce your team on camera and then walk with the camera through your display
• Make sure everything can be seen and heard clearly – hold the camera steady and move it slowly
• Include wide shots of your entire display and close ups of the details that make it special
• State the names, ages of all your teammates and name your hometown in your video

Once you have your video, go to www.lightfightcasting.com to submit the video and apply to be on the show. You only have a few weeks before the first round of casting ends so don’t delay, apply now!

This year’s Roundtable Discussions will be on the following topics:

• The Art of Sequencing
• General Discussion
• Christmas Lights Business
• Future of RGB
• Over the Top Displays
• Future of the Industry

Roundtable discussions are informal meetups where the table topic remains the same and you simply wander from table to table to either listen to or join in the discussion.