I didn’t truly know the meaning of the term “lit” until I visited the Candy Cane Crib this past Thursday night.

At its new location, 115 W. El Cortez Drive, the Candy Cane Crib is offering a bright and sweet solution to enjoy the holiday season this year.

Ryan Schultz, the owner of Candy Cane Crib, says he got the inspiration for the extravagant decorations from when he was a child.

“As a kid growing up, I would always get in the car with my family to drive around and look at Christmas lights,” he says. “There was never anything that was just overwhelming, so I wanted to create something that families could have a tradition to come to.”

As for the name of the place, Schultz says the idea came about four years ago after he realized that with an attraction this special, like the Magic Tree in the Village of Cherry Hill (and now downtown!), this attraction should have a special name to landmark it as well.

Now in its seventh year running, Schultz’s dream has turned into a reality, with 45,000 lights total covering his property in a south Columbia neighborhood.

To make the masterpiece of a light show, he begins by stringing green lights across his lawn, then creating his famous candy cane striped roof, which kicked off the whole project back in 2009.

He started setting up the lights the first week of November in order to make it in time for his deadline of 6 p.m. the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. He plans to begin taking down all the lights New Year’s Day.

Visitors to the Candy Cane Crib are encouraged to take a picture in the photo booth Schultz built featuring 6,000 lights and to share it on Facebook. Guests can also write their names on the sign featured at the base of the handmade bar Schultz built and where he hangs out most of the night talking to all the people who pass through.

Visitors are encouraged to take the path down to the Candy Cane garden, a new addition this year, to grab some candy canes. Some guests may even be graced with the presence of Schultz’s adorable 4-year-old son Knox, who Schultz says was the little guy who did all the work.

The Candy Cane Crib’s busiest nights are usually Fridays and Saturdays when they can give out up to 500 candy canes.

When asked how long he plans to continue the Candy Cane Crib, Schultz replies with a heartfelt “forever,” as he sits at the handmade bar outside wearing a specially-made trucker hat with the Candy Cane Crib logo on it.

“I just want people to come by and smile, that’s it,” Schultz says.

You can enjoy the sweet light show every night until New Year’s Eve from 6 to 11 p.m.