Anyone putting up Christmas Lights?

[panda55]

Took a couple of photos of my place with the Christmas lights working.

I took the shots 'cause the last few days we have been having major thunderstorms and 100klm/h plus winds of a night and although I've had them up since 2nd Dec this is only the third night I have been able to leave them on.

Last night we had a blackout for and hour and a half, trees down, 3 inches of rain, all good fun really.

Here they are (well three of them). The first one is out of focus because my back is in semi-constant spasms at the moment (for last 19 days to be exact) and it caught me unawares. Either that or it was just a lousy shot (more likely ).

 

[panda55]

Two ...

 

[panda55]

Still got to put all the clinging transfers on the window panes yet. But thats another day. Got my youngest daughter's engagement party here tomorrow so I have been a little busy.

Note the Aussie Santa playing cricket and wearing thongs (on his feet, don't be rude !!).

 

[tiltjlp]

No, living in a small apartment, I don't decorate any longer, although we used to when I was a kid, and probably until some twenty years ago. Way back when I used to light both the inside and outside up bright as could be, as well as getting pretty well lit myself. I haven't gotten lit in over thirty years, which have made the holidays more somber, but more rememberable, too. Weighing at or near 300 lbs most of my adult life, I used to be in demand as a substitute for Santa for friends children. I still believe in the spirit of the season if not all the trappings and religious traditions. Ho Ho Humbug!

John

 

[elton]

And there was me thinking Panda was sunning it up! How wrong could I be.

He's actually getting Welsh weather. There is a God!

Anyway, having struggled my conkers off to get our lights on, I couldn't leave this thread without posting my own picture.

 

[panda55]

Elton, it looks as though either you or I forgot to pay the power bill as I don't get any picture of your lights.

As for the weather, on Saturday afternoon we had my (youngest) daughters engagement party (part 1) at home. Just after finishing off the BBQ we had an almighty big storm, hail, lightning, 50mph+ winds.

I said to my daughter that I spared no expense - putting on entertainment (chairs flying about the yard), light show, and a swimming pool in the back yard (5" deep in places)

Of course an hour later it was sunny again and 28c degrees.

 

[elton]

Mmmmm ... no leccy eh! Funny that, 'cos last night when I posted it there were two of the same posts - so I deleted the second. That probably did something to the first somehow. I'm writing this in work - so if I get a chance I'll repost tonight.

As I commented - Welsh weather - all except the 28c. LOL

 

[elton]

Let's try again .....

 

[elton]

And then I get 2 of the same Arrrrrrgh!!!!

3rd go and that's it!

 

[panda55]

Nice PT-Cruiser out front Elton.

Good to see the power has been restored :D

Nice lights man.

Our street has been included in the towns Christmas Lights Tour. We actually won the best street 2 years ago.

That same year we also won the 'Tidy Towns' - "Best Street Award".

All it got us was some exposure in the papers and the local 'break and enter' kids got busy on our neighbours house. :evil:

 

[elton]

Yeah - bought the cruiser last year. Bit of an indulgence but a great car. Pity about the mileage though - only getting circa 28 to the gallon so petrol is crippling us financially.

The neighbourhood here is not too overboard with lights but around the corner there's some houses lit up like shops. Don't fancy their leccy bill thank you.

We also have similar kids here. We were burgled once just before moving to this place in 1987 - it was a pretty awful at the time and has affected me ever since. I am now so security minded - almost to the point of paranoia - not that this would stop a determined thief.

Have a Happy Crimbo - the family have a very full social calendar this Christmas (a rarity in itself) so will probably not be sitting in front of the PC for much time.

 

[penguin66]

Ok, I finally got everything up that is going up this year.

 

[panda55]

Nice one Pengy. Photos turned out great.

My wife is a kindergarten teacher and her 'kid' all expect her house to have lots of Christmas stuff, as she still is a big kid at heart.

I am more of a bah-humbug type normally, but it makes me happy to see her face very year when I finally get off my backside and put them up.

(Unfortunately it takes me a week or two to get over putting them up.)

 

[elton]

Great display. I love it when it's all colour co-ordinated.

Panda - I cannot imagine you as a bah humbug type at all. That conjours up all manner of imagery!

 

[penguin66]

Panda- Thanks for the comments on the photos. I can get quite picky about my photos and I was playing around with using the flash and not using the flash.

We haven't been in much of a holiday spirit for the past couple of years, so having lights outside is sort of a special occasion. We didn't get everything done--we wanted to put more lights in the other windows and along the top of the roof, but we were supposed to get some wind and decided climbing up on the roof with heavy winds wasn't a smart idea.

Elton- we like the color coordinated displays as well. We've been in this house for about 10 years and have done multi-color lights, white icicle lights, and blue and white lights in previous years. We "forgot" to pull down some of the blue and white lights a couple of years ago, and when we couldn't find replacement blue lights, tried to come up with another color scheme. We stumbled into the red because we liked the candy cane lights and the red globe lights that we put in the tree. Wouldn't you know it though, the people living across the street from us decided to decorate their entire house in red as well. :x

Sometimes I think the entire neighborhood tries to out-decorate everyone else. At least half of the homes in the neighborhood has outside decorations and most of them have a significant amount more than we have--and we have a lot compared to most neighborhoods in other places of town.

I hope that everyone has an enjoyable and safe holiday!

 

[Joe]

A lot of the houses near me have a lot more lights than you do.

 

[elton]

A lot of the houses near me have a lot more lights than you do.

It wasn't a competition for who had the most lights - it was just folk being sociable. There are many houses everywhere with what can only be described as full on displays - but that was not the intention of this post.

By the way, where's your picture contribution? Or did you deliberatly wish to sound like a twat?

Either way, Merry Christmas.

 

[penguin66]

Hey Elton, I'm taking Joe's post as a mention that even though we have photos of Christmas lights and I mentioned something like my house was above average for some neighborhoods in my town, he might be in an area with a lot more holiday lights. There are places in "expensive" neighborhoods in my town that are almost covered in lights. Then there is a display at a local shopping mall that used to be on someone's house, but the neighbors complained about all the traffic coming to see the house. I don't believe there was much on the house and yard that wasn't covered with lights.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a Very Merry Christmas!!!!

 

[elton]

Thanks Penguin, I did Hic! It was the Rum that did it honest. Hic

Boxing Day party today should be a blast and Boxing Day party II tomorrow should also be a blast

One year we will join them together. It's nearly happened, but both sets of partygoers missed each other by only a couple of hours!

Keep well.

 

[penguin66]

Sounds like Boxing day and Boxing day 2 parties should both be good. Wish I could have all of you over for some of my eggnog.

 

[elton]

Absolutely brilliant. 27 over on Boxing Day. An early(ish) finish with the stragglers leaving by 2am when there was still beer in the fridge and wine in the rack! I was positively slaughtered but still standing. A much quieter affair on Monday with only 12 guests and a very early finish. Seems ironic that while we were living it up, the other side of the globe was dealing with the worse natural disaster. And it's getting worse by the day. It just gives you the feeling of total helplessness and in total awe at natures most destructive behaviour. When Mother Earth puts on a show - she really, puts one on!

Back in work today - just to move offices - so far so good. Promises to be a short day. The IT is up and running - just the paperwork and personal stuff to arrange then home to continue the festivities. Most folk in UK tend to take much time off for Christmas. No complaints here!

 

[panda55]

21 here for Boxing Day/Daughters Engagement part 2. Went off without any trauma, so that's a bonus.

We had a couple of relatively cool days (28c) so it was perfect for playing backyard cricket.

We ate heaps, drank a bit and ran around like loonies. Who could ask for anything more.

Still can't come to grips with devastation in Asia. Poor buggers didn't stand a chance.

 

[tiltjlp]

Like I said, living in an apartment, I didn't put up any lights, but I think one of my friends might have gotten lit. Besides decorating her tree, she stsrted looking for other things to Holidify, such as aming her dog Lance over into Santa's newest reindeer.

John

 

[panda55]

I was going to put lights on the cat but she was busy opening presents.

 

[tiltjlp]

Well, with another holiday season approaching, I thought I'd dig out last years thread, since a friend sent me a movie of one of the most impressive Christmas light displays I've ever seen. Back when I was a kid everyone decorated their houses, but this house is really amazing.

John