So this is a hobby...

Well, I've never been much of a hobbiest, so I'm not sure if this is a hobby or an obsession.

However, that being said, I'll do my best to chronicle my progress in this venture so others might benefit from mistakes I'm sure to make.

Let me give you a little insight into how I became interested in creating a light display. My partner, Ralph, and I have friends in Colorado Springs, Dan and his wife, Rusty, who began their display in 2007. When we visited them in December, Dan showed off the fruits of his year long endeavor.

Being the geek that I am, I had to know the particulars and Dan was happy to show me. "Light-O-Rama", he said. So, when I got back to Utah, I began researching. I began learning about sequence editors (which weren't that big a deal for me to master, since I'm already familiar with MIDI sequencing software), controller boxes, after Christmas sales, electrical cords, Mega Trees, Leaping Lights, hundreds of channels (and dollars), and a whole year of planning and building, followed by weeks of setup.

Here it is, January 5th, and I'm already feeling the 2008 Christmas Crunch! I'm WAY behind schedule. My arches aren't wrapped, my sequences aren't done (I haven't even chosen all my songs!), my heat gun hasn't arrived yet, I don't know where I can get heat shrink tubing locally.... what the heck is SPT-1, and why is SPT-2 better? WHY CAN'T I SEE THE PICTURES ATTACHED TO THE POSTS IN THE PLANET CHRISTMAS FORUMS!!! I may become a nervous wreck before this is over!

So, anyhow... it probably isn't as bad as all that. I do have a preliminary plan for the projects I want to complete for my 1st display in 2008 (besides outlining the house in lights):

• 1 Mega Tree (hopefully 5 colors but we'll start with 1 to be safe)


• 8 Leaping Lights Arches


• A group of 9 small trees


• A "Merry Christmas" sign


• A "Bethlehem Star" on the housetop


• A Nativity (starting with Jesus, Mary & Joseph... maybe shepards and wise men will have to wait until next year)

So, I've started gathering materials. Ralph shakes his head a lot but I think he's secretly as excited as I am.

I'm up to about 124 channels worth of stuff... gotta make it divisible by 16 since I'm planning for the 16 channel controller boxes from Light-O-Rama. That L-O-R Spring sale better be a doozey!


I snagged a Belkin Tunecast II from eBay for $11 and modified it according to the tutorial on ChristmasDisplays.net (it works great). I also picked up the L-O-R software so I could begin sequences.

I picked up 64 sets of 100 lights from the Target 75% off sale so I could wrap the arches, 8 sections, 8 arches, 100 lights per section.

I 've ordered a heat gun from Harbor Freight (it really hasn't arrived yet). I found the 2 temp model on sale for for $9.99. I'm not yet sure about what size of heat shrink tubing I'll need for the SPT-1 lamp wire I purchased.

So, I'm impatient and I started my prototype arch yesterday. I've found several tutuorials and suggestions (***). I was having trouble with wrapping since the Target lights are spaces 4" apart. They all seemed to bunch up on one side of the PVC. So, after a few trial and error runs, I think I finally have it. I didn't use the method that most folks seem to use, which is to wrap the string as tightly together as possible. I sort of used a candy cane stripe pattern up and down the section, criss crossing the string until it was used up. That seemed to work on the 1st section. I want to solder and heat shrink the SPT-1 extensions so I guess I'll have to wait for the heat gun and heat shrink tubing before I continue on.

I've been kicking around ideas for songs. I know everything's probably been done before but heres what I've come up with so far. This will probably change over the next several months.

Draft song list:

• Carol Of The Bells - Monique Danielle (The best vocal version I've found... my opinion of course)


• Mister Santa - Amy Grant


• Oh Holy Night - Eric Cartman and the South Park gang (OK Dan, if you're reading this... imitation IS the highest form of flattery... or so THEY say.)


• Feliz Navidad - Jaci Velasquez ( I like this song but Jose's version is a little outdated)


• Christmas With A Capital "C" - Go Fish ( I got just a little more than annoyed with the phrase "Happy Holidays" this year.)


• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Cliff Richard (A great upbeat version, should go great with a light show)


• Joy To The World - Mariah Cary (I love the 3 Dog Night/Christmas Carol merge)


• Gloria - Michael W. Smith (From the 80s but an interesting twist on Angels We Have Heard On High)
• Hallelujah - Lakewood Church (An incredible upbeat version of Hadel's classic)

So, that's about all I know today. Will update when I have time between projects, work and feeding the dog.

P.S. I guess my Planet Christmas account hadn't been activated yet because now I can view the photos attached in the forum posts.