Kevin Cirilli sits down with Jim Hardaway — COO of Novelty Lights and one of the nation’s leading authorities on holiday displays — to trace how America became obsessed with lighting up the season. From German candle-lit trees in the 1800s, to the first electric strands in the early 1900s, to Reginald Fessenden’s 1906 broadcast of O Holy Night that merged Christmas with cutting-edge radio tech, Kevin and Jim map the full arc of Christmas-tech innovation. And of course: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Hardaway explains how the 1989 film — and Clark Griswold’s infamous “blinding the neighbors / knocking out the grid” scene — didn’t just become a punchline. It sparked a nationwide arms race of holiday displays and kicked off a modern industry. Together, Cirilli and Hardaway look ahead to what’s next: AI-choreographed displays, sustainable LEDs, solar-powered strands, and drone shows that rewrite the sky. If you’ve ever wondered how Christmas became a national tech sport — and where it’s heading — this episode is your new holiday classic

Kevin Cirilli sits down with Jim Hardaway &mdash; COO of Novelty Lights and one of the nation&rsquo;s leading authorities on holiday displays &mdash; to trace how America became obsessed with lighting up the season. From German candle-lit trees in the 1800s, to the first electric strands in the early 1900s, to Reginald Fessenden&rsquo;s 1906 broadcast of O Holy Night that merged Christmas with cutting-edge radio tech, Kevin and Jim map the full arc of Christmas-tech innovation. And of course: National Lampoon&rsquo;s Christmas Vacation. Hardaway explains how the 1989 film &mdash; and Clark Griswold&rsquo;s infamous &ldquo;blinding the neighbors / knocking out the grid&rdquo; scene &mdash; didn&rsquo;t just become a punchline. It sparked a nationwide arms race of holiday displays and kicked off a modern industry. Together, Cirilli and Hardaway look ahead to what&rsquo;s next: AI-choreographed displays, sustainable LEDs, solar-powered strands, and drone shows that rewrite the sky. If you&rsquo;ve ever wondered how Christmas became a national tech sport &mdash; and where it&rsquo;s heading &mdash; this episode is your new holiday classic

HELLO, FUTURE with Kevin Cirilli is the daily podcast where tomorrow’s biggest questions come alive. Are aliens already visiting us? Could your next job be in space? What if satellites could find lost cities, or stop the next wildfire? What happens if America loses the space race… or if every satellite went dark tomorrow? From Mars to UFOs, from flying cars to “civilization starter kits,” each episode blends science, technology, and imagination with the real choices shaping our world. It’s smart, fast, and curious, built for anyone who’s ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what comes next. This isn’t science fiction. It’s the future, knocking on your door. 

HELLO, FUTURE with Kevin Cirilli&nbsp;is the daily podcast where tomorrow&rsquo;s biggest questions come alive. Are aliens already visiting us? Could your next job be in space? What if satellites could find lost cities, or stop the next wildfire? What happens if America loses the space race&hellip; or if every satellite went dark tomorrow? From Mars to UFOs, from flying cars to &ldquo;civilization starter kits,&rdquo; each episode blends science, technology, and imagination with the real choices shaping our world. It&rsquo;s smart, fast, and curious, built for anyone who&rsquo;s ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what comes next. This isn&rsquo;t science fiction. It&rsquo;s the future, knocking on your door.&nbsp;

HELLO FUTURE with Kevin Cirilli

Kevin Cirilli sits down with Jim Hardaway — COO of Novelty Lights and one of the nation’s leading authorities on holiday displays — to trace how America became obsessed with lighting up the season. From German candle-lit trees in the 1800s, to the first electric strands in the early 1900s, to Reginald Fessenden’s 1906 broadcast of O Holy Night that merged Christmas with cutting-edge radio tech, Kevin and Jim map the full arc of Christmas-tech innovation.

HELLO FUTURE: The Future of Christmas Lights — From Clark Griswold to Rudolph the Red Nose Drone

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9059aa95-6fd6-451a-9316-b3a600470a4c/transcript

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