BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!

Subject: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 12:14 PM

Go watch this! Over the top! That's right here in our community. I think we'll go see in it in person. Crazy, right?! Anything like it in your neck of the woods?

katlaughing

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: Megan L
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 12:22 PM

Thats scarry

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 12:23 PM

A year or so ago, I finally retired a set of Christmas lights that my Dad used to string up when I was a kid. I figure after 40 years I might as well get something with some safer wiring.   I still put up a wooden Santa Claus that my Uncle made nearly 55 years ago when he first bought his home. It is a sheet of plywood that he cut out in the shape of Santa and painted himself.   There is also a sled and 3 reindeer, but they need some rehab work before they can face another season.   My uncle built those too, following a pattern he found in local newspaper that used to print projects for hobbiests.

I'm not sure what the attraction is for thousands of lights that blink on and off to music.   I love a few strings of lights on bushes and gutters, candles in the window, and a wreath at the door.

Call me old fashioned, but I do not see the charm in light shows and giant blow-up figures of Santa on a Harley. It may spell Christmas to some people, but it doesn't do anything for me.

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: Alice
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 12:29 PM

That hurt my eyes. I couldn't watch the whole thing.
I'm sure it is entertaining to some, though.
I feel guilty about using electricity just for decoration, so I don't do it any more.

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 12:31 PM

Oh, that's weak compared to This...10 minutes from me

(old story...enlarged photo doesn't work)

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: Sawzaw
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 12:47 PM

There is a show on The Learning Channel called Crazy Christmas Lights all about this.

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: open mike
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 01:52 AM

the acapella group the Bobs has a wonderful song called 50 kilowatt tree. http://www.myspace.com/thebobsmusic it is on thier c.d called
too many santas

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: open mike
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 01:56 AM

http://www.bobs.com/

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 02:34 PM

I love it!

Alice, I bet the electricity that operates color TV's that nobody is looking at far outdoes the amount that goes towards Christmas lights.

And if the power plant is generating current and nobody uses it,where does it go?

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 03:53 PM

Well, Ron, I tend to agree with you and we don't do much but lights on the tree, but I thought it was crazy enough I oughta share it with you all.

BillD, that is obscene! Like Alice, I would feel REALLY guilty using so much electricty for such lavish/garish displays.

Thanks, everybody!

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: Melissa
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 05:29 PM

In a fit of Fed Up, I tore down my tree about a week ago. Maybe the Extreme Griswolds sort of help balance out the Christmas Crabs?

I'm certainly glad I can't see any of their overcompensation from my window--I'd probably bite holes in the curtains or something!

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: Gurney
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 12:54 AM

There's a lady here who does a great show, santa's grotto and everything, as a charity thing with donations. She starts working on it in October! More than $5000 to charity so far.

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 11:07 AM

'I'm certainly glad I can't see any of their overcompensation from my window'

I thought of that too, Melissa, but then I decided not to worry about it. One of the remarkable things about America is that when you drive past large, affluent homes such as that in kat's video, there is never anybody there. There are few lights and no movement behind the heavy curtains. The yards are empty, except perhaps for someone mowing grass.

I call it the Realm of the Living Dead, but my husband says they are all in the basement, watching TV. I pity them.

However that may be, they won't be bothered by Christmas lights, no matter how fancy.

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 11:47 AM

"One of the remarkable things about America is that when you drive past large, affluent homes such as that in kat's video, there is never anybody there. There are few lights and no movement behind the heavy curtains. The yards are empty, except perhaps for someone mowing grass."

Wow. What a strange stereotype!!!

I'm not quite sure about your impression. Don't forget most of those "large, affluent" homes also have backyards with patios and perhaps a swimming pool, and we tend to spend time there.   While I don't have a pool, I do have a deck and in the summer months it becomes an additional room of the house. Most of my neighbors do the same - and we are not in "large, affluent homes".

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 12:28 PM

Uhhhhhhmmmmm.... I guess different strokes and all. OK... I can see how I might have a "low and slow" night when I'd appreciate being bombarded by all that..... but our little revolving tabletop tree is never gonna look the same, now, and I'll have to run that vid for Hardi when he gets home, too, now.... :~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: Charley Noble
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 05:16 PM

Kat-

That's pretty impressive!

We haven't seen any like that here in Maine. They are primarily static displays.

Our house has two wreaths on the double doors to the front entry and some color morphing candles in the bay window.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Dec 08 - 04:07 PM

I haven't driven over in that neighborhood for awhile, but on the corner where you turn onto a friend's road (this is on the, uh, "outskirts" of Nottingham, NH) where houselots are 3 to 5 acres (or more) is a stand of smaller (less than 20 ' tall) evergreens each illuminated with one of the rainbow of colors they all present. Lots of "tropical fruit" colors -- real New Hampshuh (not). A bit over the top for this neck of the woods.

Back in Milwaukee (Sudsville on the Old Polluted Bathtub) there was a house near Lake Michigan that wrapped all of the trees (good sized ones, too) in white lights -- each branch! The house was sold a few years ago and I don't think the new owners continued the tradition.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Over-the-top Christmas Lights!
From: open mike
Date: 24 Dec 08 - 05:19 PM

here is the link to the clip of the first lights i posted about
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD4g0gmQSLk

see also:
http://www.uglychristmaslights.com/