The Twelve Days of Deckerstar

The 11th Day - Eleven Different Houses

"Urchin," Lucifer groaned, "have you seen enough displays yet?"

"Shh!" Chloe and Trixie shushed him from the front seat. Trixie wanted to drive around and look at Christmas lights tonight, before the impending doom that was sure to be their Christmas Eve. When Lucifer said he'd rather stay at the penthouse, Trixie gave him the most pathetic, sad, puppy-dog face. Lucifer wasn't about to be fooled by that, so he still refused, and he said that Trixie and Chloe should go look at the lights and he'd be in the penthouse when they got back. Apparently, the entire ride down the elevator to Chloe's car, Trixie pouted and mumbled about how Lucifer doesn't want to do anything she thinks is fun. Chloe marched back up to the penthouse and told Lucifer that he didn't have a choice. He's going to go look at Christmas lights with her and Trixie. 

He argued that he went to the urchin's Christmas play last night, decorated two homes with her, and went along with all of these Christmas shenanigans, but this is where he draws the line!

This is how Lucifer ended up in the backseat of Chloe's car by himself, enduring the seemingly unending hours of driving around, looking at stranger's homes, and judging light displays. Lucifer thought all of the houses listed on the urchin's little map of the best light displays in Los Angeles County were gaudy and horrible excuses for decorations. Although, at least living in a city that's home to most celebrities, quite a few people put a large amount of money into their outdoor decorations...or for the gates guarding their compounds. No matter what, all of this was like torture for his eyeballs, as if Christmas threw up all over these lawns. 

For whatever reason, the detective and her offspring enjoyed looking at the disgusting displays. One yard recreated scenes from the movie A Christmas Story. Another yard had bits and pieces of, well, everything. There were cut-outs from Charlie Brown, classic Santas, snowmen, and penguins, some teddy bears with Santa hats, Mickey Mouse, flashing lights of every color, and then a Nativity scene tucked way in the back. Yet another yard looked like they had taken everything in a store's Christmas clearance section last year and tossed it all in their yard. At least, the detective and spawn recognized that this display is the dictionary definition of atrocity. 

"At least they don't have neighbors. Could you imagine having to look at this every night?" Chloe commented. 

"I'm having a hard time looking at it now." Lucifer groaned, still pouting in the backseat. They had seen ten houses so far, every one just as horrific and cheesy as the last.

"Ooh look at that one up there!" Trixie pointed to the house about half a mile up the street. 

Chloe drove forward and they saw that there were cars lining the streets outside of this estate.

"There's a line to get into see these lights?" Chloe asked with disbelief. 

Lucifer noticed a sign as they pulled through the gate, "There's a sign over here that says to tune into 88.5 FM."

Trixie adjusted the radio in Chloe's car to the FM radio station the sign instructed them to.

There was a line of cars a mile long up to these people's house but they could see some kind of light show ahead. 

"Trix, this is a little ridiculous. We're not going to wait in line to see a house's lights." Chloe said. 

"But look!" Trixie objected, pointing ahead at the line of cars. It seemed that quite a few were leaving now and the line was moving forward. 

Sighing, Chloe followed the other cars forward, and eventually, she found a grassy part of the lawn where a car had been previously. 

The house was completely dark, inside and out. After a while of sitting there, staring at an empty house, Lucifer asked, "Did they turn them off? Because there are lot of people who look really stupid staring at a dark house right now." He laughed. 

All of a sudden, a picture of a green lightbulb with a smiling face blinked to life.

"Hello, and welcome to the show." The lightbulb mouthed the words that were coming out of the radio, "We're very glad you're here! All we ask is that you turn off your headlights and be courteous to those around you. If you'd like to add another song to our playlist, go to vote.lalights.com** to add your suggestion. Now please, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show."

The lightbulb disappeared, and a few minutes later, a Mickey Mouse face lit up on the front of the house and laughed, "Hello everybody! Happy Holidays!"

As soon as he said it, the song Happy Holidays by Andy Williams played over the radio and the house illuminated to the beat of the song. A large Christmas tree made out of LED lights illuminated in the middle of the yard, as well as a few arches, and large ornaments bulbs. On the house, the outline of it had lines of lights going up and down the sides and the roof. Mickey Mouse heads and Cinderella's Castles appeared in the windows, and more lightbulb heads flashed on the siding of the house. 

"It's Disney-themed!" Trixie exclaimed, her smile just as bright as the light show. 

For the next thirty minutes, the lights were colored and flashed to the tune of a variety of Disney songs as they played over the radio. 

"Do they work for Disney? That would explain the theme and the lights." Lucifer suggested. He had to admit, the show was very enjoyable, neat, and tasteful. He would rather be watching this than the Christmas vomit they just witnessed at the last ten houses. At least there was a point and a theme to these decorations, even if they were extreme.

"Or they work in show production?" Chloe added. Either idea sounded plausible. They don't live too far away from Disneyland, but it is L.A., so someone who works in light and sound production putting this on for fun could be a possibility. 

Time flew by as they were entranced by the show. Trixie listened and sang along to all of her favorite Disney songs. Toward the end, they even played the Harry Potter score, pop Christmas songs, and theme songs from famous TV shows, all which made the show even more fun!

Eventually, the show ended, and more cars were waiting to get in. Chloe started the car up again and they drove out. 

"Do you think there are more houses like this?" Trixie asked. 

Surprisingly, Lucifer answered her, "Well, urchin, this is Los Angeles, so I'd say it's a possibility...and there is a website online listing houses with professional light shows."

"Where?" Trixie shrieked.

Lucifer put in the addresses in his phone and Chloe followed the directions. She smiled to herself, happy that Lucifer was enjoying himself. 

They found another house with similar, neat, LED lights all over their property with a sign telling them to tune into an FM radio station. 

As the night continued, the three of them watched the shows and sang along to the songs. Lucifer had to be encouraged to join in on Chloe's and Trixie's awful singing, but all in all, the three of them had a blast. It was a much needed break, enjoying some much needed holiday cheer before being surrounded by family tomorrow on Christmas Eve...some loved...but one extremely not. 

Instead of dwelling on it and complaining like Lucifer mostly wanted to do tonight, Trixie would just sing louder and do funny little dances in her seat to distract him. 

For as obnoxious and immature as he thinks this Christmas light activity is, Lucifer was glad he had some family to enjoy this time and holiday with. He had no issue doing absolutely anything for them because he loves them more than he's ever loved anyone before. 

**ATTENTION! vote.lalights.com is not a real website to my knowledge! I made it up for the sake of the story. Please do not try to find it or vote for a song.