Christmas Expo

Holiday Lighting & Decorating Conference

Classes & Seminars

Since 2003, Christmas Expo has been the premier conference for holiday decorating. We are the only event offering 3 entire days of class sessions, plus fun specialty classes like our Holiday Entertaining Series included in your conference pass.
  • Conference Seminars – 1 and 2 hour sessions. With multiple classes to choose from in each time slot, there is something for every skill and interest, from beginners through advanced level decorators. These classes are included in the cost of your conference pass.
  • Pre-show Workshops – 1 and 2-full day, in-depth add-on workshops occurring in the 3 days prior to the Conference. If you choose to take any of these workshops, there is an additional cost associated with each.

2021 Classes

This is a preliminary list. Additional classes are still being added!

  • 3D Printing for Christmas Light Enthusiasts
  • All the Colors: Thematic Coloring in Commercial Show Design
  • An Experience vs. a Light Show
  • Animators Guide to Electricity – The Basics
  • Creating Motion Graphics in After Effects
  • DIY Building with plastics in and for your display using PVC, CORO, Acrylics, Strips, and 3D printing
  • Don’t let the Grinch steal your identity: Cybersecurity and Online Privacy to keep you merry and safe all year long
  • Fix it – Hold it – Seal it
  • Go Fog Yourself!
  • Halloween: Going from good to spooktacular!
  • How to interface snow, bubble, fog, flame and cold spark machines as well as theatrical lighting and moving head lights to your show
  • How to repair or shorten you LED light strings
  • How to use Pixels and Still have a Traditional Looking Display
  • Indoor Decorating: More than just the tree!
  • Intro to DMX
  • Intro to Photoshop
  • Intro to Soldering (2 hours)
  • Introduction to LED Panels
  • Introduction to Pixel Props Workshop
  • Introduction to Sound Editing with Audacity
  • Ladder and Rooftop Safety…Survive to decorate another year
  • Music’s DNA (part 1)
  • Music’s DNA (part 2)
  • Networking 101
  • Networking: Advanced Network Setup & Troubleshooting for Light Shows
  • Planning your light show; a journey of a first year newbie
  • Power injection, the good, bad, and “ah hah” moments
  • Putting The Show in Light Show
  • Singing Animatronic Dolls
  • The Making of a GREAT Drive-Thru Event
  • There’s Still a Place for Wireframes
  • Voice-Overs: A How To
  • Decorating Basics: I Love it When a Plan Comes Together: Displays the A-Team Way
  • Decorating Basics: Securing Your Display
  • Decorating Basics: Illumination of Lights
  • Decorating Basics: The Art & Presentation of a Christmas Display: The Holy Grail
  • Decorating Basics: Oh, Christmas Tree
  • Video Editing: Taking Your Display Video to the Next Level
  • VIdeo: Using Drones to Film Your Christmas Display
  • Video: Incorporating video projection into your show
  • LOR: Getting started with animation using LOR
  • LOR: New to Light-O-Rama (Part 1):  Hardware Basics
  • LOR: New to Light-O-Rama (Part 2):  Show and Software Basics
  • LOR: New to Light-O-Rama (Part 3): Pixel Hardware & Pixel Prop Basics
  • LOR: Converting from Light-O-Rama S4 to S5
  • LOR: The Light-O-Rama Preview Editor (Part 1): The Basics and Traditional Lights
  • LOR: The Light-O-Rama Preview Editor (Part 2): Adding Pixels (and Managing Networks)
  • LOR: The Light-O-Rama Preview Editor (Part 3): Groups, Channel Conflicts, and Custom Shapes
  • LOR: The Light-O-Rama Sequencer (Part 1): The Toolbars and Fundamentals
  • LOR: The Light-O-Rama Sequencer (Part 2): AC Effects and Color Fades
  • LOR: The Light-O-Rama Sequencer (Part 3): Motion Effects for Smart Pixels
  • LOR: Light-O-Rama SuperStar and S5 Sequencer Integration
  • LOR: Light-O-Rama SuperStar – New Features and Auto Sequence
  • LOR: Adapting Shared Sequences in S5
  • LOR: Light-O-Rama Software: The Future
  • FPP (Falcon Player) Beginner
  • FPP (Falcon Player) How To
  • FPP (Falcon Player) Above and Beyond
  • FPP (Falcon Player) LED Panel Basics
  • FPP (Falcon Player) Panel Build Demo
  • xLights: Jumpstart
  • xLights: Making your home a 3D model in xLights
  • xLights Sub Models: Setup your props for amazing effects!
  • xLights: Understanding the xLights Master Render View
  • xLights: Sequencing things that aren’t meant to be sequenced
  • xLights: 3D Props and Sequencing Techniques
  • xLights: In the Mind of a Professional Sequencer – The Artistry of Madness
  • xLights: xLights Q&A

2021 All-Day Workshops