Scottland Lights: 15 years bringing Christmas in lights and music to Groton

One of the best holiday traditions in Groton is “Scottland Lights” at 411 Peru Rd., the incredible light show that has graced the home of John Scott and Beth Underwood-Scott during the Christmas season since 2008.

Whether you are a “regular” or you’ve never experienced the display, the joy and the magic of hearing the Christmas music that syncs with the lights so perfectly is a wonderful way to lift your spirits during the holiday season. All you need is time and a vehicle with a car radio tuned in to 89.7 on the FM dial to have an evening of delightful entertainment, courtesy of John and Beth.

Beth is a 1985 Groton High School alumna who was born and raised at 104 Roosevelt Ave., a home she told me was once the residence of the caretaker for the famous Benn Conger Inn before her great-aunt purchased it in the early 1920s. “They even had a crow’s nest on the back of the house, so they could shoot at any intruders at the Benn Conger if need be,” Beth said.

Beth grew up loving Christmas lights because her father, Ellard Underwood, decorated their home with a plethora of lights and decorations from the early 1950s, when he purchased the house from his aunt, until his death in 1994.

“Our home was the place that was well known as being the best decorated and having the most lights around,” Beth said. “People would come from everywhere, not just Groton, to see it every year.” But from 1994 until 2002, the lovely display was no more, as Beth did not have the wherewithal to do what her father had always done.

How John and Beth met

Circumstances brought John to attend a conference at Cornell University in July 2001, where he met Beth. They fell in love and were married on Christmas Eve, 2002, after which they both resided at 104 Roosevelt Ave. One of his new bride’s first requests that year was for John to pull out her father’s Christmas lights and put them up. While not as grand and glorious as the display once was, Beth was delighted to have the lights up and running again.

John had attended the Technical Career Institute in Manhattan in the early 1990s, where he attained his knowledge of electronics. He worked as a lineman for the New York Telephone Company for about 10 years. At that point, however, his life began to take a drastic turn.

John was born with glaucoma, a condition he lived with throughout his life, but that condition deteriorated to a point where he developed cataracts. Unfortunately, he suffered a retinal detachment as a result of cataract surgery, rendering him legally blind and no longer able to do the work he’d been doing.

Nonetheless, John has found a way to make the light show happen in Groton, and it has grown bigger and better every year.

In 2004, the Scotts built their home at 411 Peru Rd., and there they carried on the tradition of decking the home with beautiful Christmas lights every year, adding more and more, so that by 2008 that house had already become just as much of a “destination” for holiday light seekers as Roosevelt Avenue had been in years gone by.

Scottland Lights became a Groton destination

By 2010, after a few iterations, John began utilizing pixels for his lights with a Raspberry Pi computer, allowing him to program the lights with music via DC current and wireless internet.

On average, Christmas songs are about three minutes long, and it takes John about 40 to 60 hours per song to program the lights to sync with them! On top of that, there is also quite a bit of time involved in designing the outdoor sets each year. Beth assists him with the design ideas.

A very special addition, beginning in 2019, is a donation box on the right-hand side of the Scotts’ driveway. Through the years, the couple has donated the collections to various charities, and this year will be the fourth in a row that all donations will go to the Groton Fire Department’s Junior Firefighter Camp.

To experience the incredible Scottland Lights, pull your vehicle off to the side of the road, tune your car radio in to 89.7 on the FM dial, relax and enjoy — but please don’t block any driveways or enter the lawn area where the displays are.

The show runs daily, beginning at 5 p.m. It loops until 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. This year, there is a different show nightly Sunday through Thursday, with four new songs added. Friday and Saturday shows are the same each night. Each show lasts approximately 60 minutes, with more than 50 songs in the playlist.

“Santa and Mrs. Claus will be here on Christmas Eve from 5 to 6 p.m.,” John said, “and that has become a special time for many through the years.”

Groton on the Inside appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Submit story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com or text or call Linda at 607-227-4922. 

In brief:

Holiday Hearts for nursing home residents

Give a gift of joy, jollity and cheer this holiday season with a donation to the Groton Community Health Care Center. Your generosity helps to brighten the holidays for the center’s residents. If you would like to make a tax-deductible, deeply appreciated holiday gift, send it to Groton Community Health Care Center, Development Department, 120 Sykes St., Groton, NY 13073.

Adult co-ed pick-up volleyball

Groton Recreation’s volleyball is back, starting Monday, Jan. 5 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Groton High School gym. No registration is required, and the program is open to all skill levels. It’s free every Monday!

Cross-country ski gear

Skis, poles and boots for cross-country skiing may be borrowed from the Groton Public Library.

Email recreation@grotony.org or director@grotonpubliclibrary.org.