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Christmas decorations

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Basil

Basil

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Just put up the Christmas decorations! It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!
 
This year is "holiday star" version 5.0 at our place (and it's about to be energized - this weekend). Five years ago I got this silly idea in my head that I wanted to build a huge, pulsating star (non-denominational of course). Had a friend weld an aluminum thing that unfolds a bit to end up being 16' wide by 24' tall and we hang it off our deck (where we are quite a ways above ground on a hill). The two long horizontal tails are strapped to the railing and the super long tail just dangled downward. The tricky bit was to wire 3 circuits that are sequentially activated to produce a "chasing" effect (with SCRs in an adjustable circuit). Gobs of messy wiring with a rat's-nest of wiring at the center, but I had fun making it.
So, the thing sort-of pulsated outward from the center at whatever rate I want (or even in the opposite direction). These two shots don't do it justice. The original plan was to see it from miles away... but I wimped out on the power-consumption issue and it can only been seen about 3/4 mile away. The second photo looks all-on because it is a short time-lapse so that all 3 circuits had flashed on.
View attachment 24460View attachment 24461
I'll have to get a video of it in action on YouTube.
 
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Because Thanksgiving was so early this year, we have been putting the decorations up in phases. We have two trees up, but I will do the outside lights after the weather warms up this weekend. We are not putting up the ceramic houses on top of the upright grand piano this year as we are giving the piano to a young family, and the movers are picking it up next week. Then we need to rearrange the living room, so it is not getting much decoration this year (but we mostly use that room for our grandchildren's toys and naps. And with our youngest being 14 months, we have no idea how our trees will hold up. She just arrived for the day, so wish us luck keeping the trees upright and the ornaments safe.
 
OK - gotta get it outta my system:

IT AIN'T EVEN ADVENT YET!!!

Fer goodness' sake!

:wall:
 
Mickey Richaud said:
OK - gotta get it outta my system:

IT AIN'T EVEN ADVENT YET!!!
Click to expand...

Growing up, we put the tree up on Christmas eve, and it came down on Epiphany (Jan 6). Seemed to make Christmas a bit more special. But I fully realize that we weren't a normal family in this regard -- with my dad's occupation (Episcopal priest) we did things a bit differently than others.

Even though I'm not a church goer these days, I still wait until pretty close to Christmas to put up the decorations. Now it's usually a week before Christmas, down on New Year's or close.
 
I'm waiting for a halfway decent day to put mine up. Although I'm probably going to get calls from the restaurant across the road. I just need to figure out how to attach the rope light string to the plastic Santa so that the rope light arcs gracefully over the edge of the roof.
 
Doug comes off his duty tour tomorrow so it will be the weekend plus to put up the decorations. Last year he added his garagemajal including the inside. He does a happy dance when it is done and each year I ask him if he really wants to do it. It is always an adament yes - he's like a 'kid at Christmas.' I, of course, am grateful as it sets the tone for the rest of the year. He also takes his vacation so that he has the entire month of December at home. Now that I can post photos, albeit thumbnails, here are two. One of Agatha in front of her garage and one of the tree that takes almost 2 days to complete including putting up and then decorating.

christmashealey.jpg bcftree.jpg
 
Mickey Richaud said:
OK - gotta get it outta my system:

IT AIN'T EVEN ADVENT YET!!!

Fer goodness' sake!
Click to expand...

Yeah, but as a Pagan holiday, it might be time to at least kill a tree.
 
That's nothing - Our neighbors put up their lights
over a year ago,& their not even from the South.

- Doug
 
sd80mac7204 said:
I'm waiting for a halfway decent day to put mine up. Although I'm probably going to get calls from the restaurant across the road. I just need to figure out how to attach the rope light string to the plastic Santa so that the rope light arcs gracefully over the edge of the roof.
Click to expand...

No decorations up (outside) yet. Though with some of the plastic Santa's I've seen, I'd be looking for ways to arc them gracefully over the edge of the roof. :D
 
Billy hasn't taken his down since afore he got hitched.

But, SWMBO says, two days after Thanksgiving, tree, lights, and associated boxes of knick-knackery goes up.
For the first time in almost 30 years, I am considering putting Lionel up under the tree.

A) I have lots of 031 track and turnouts (haven't for that period of time).
B) The large stuff goes to the daughter's house Christmas Morn for delivery of wrapped packaging.
C) I found the old General set I used to run in a box on a shelf in da basement........
 
Blue light string around th' front door about 24 DEC. Down after the New Year's day.

...other than that, no ~HOOPLA~

It's a time to be quiet and reflective here.

Has the past year been kind or cruel? Will the coming one be more or less so?

A time for family to get together and HUG.

That's ~MY~ Christmas.
 
DNK said:
YA got the tracks in the yard decorated,Dave?
Click to expand...

Naught yet. Run a power cord, string a bunch of stuff on the trestle and peach tree.
Have a lit Christmas tree in one of the stations.
 
Our 14 month old granddaughter passed her tree test. She kept looking at it and pointing at ornaments, but never touched the tree or anything on it. So now Peg plans to put up one more tree in the living room after the piano is moved out on Wednesday. But our neighbor has about 50 solar lights around her front yard, so Santa always has the landing strip lights if he needs to find us. I think her 365 day display can be seen from the air.
 
TOC said:
Billy hasn't taken his down since afore he got hitched.

But, SWMBO says, two days after Thanksgiving, tree, lights, and associated boxes of knick-knackery goes up.
For the first time in almost 30 years, I am considering putting Lionel up under the tree.

A) I have lots of 031 track and turnouts (haven't for that period of time).
B) The large stuff goes to the daughter's house Christmas Morn for delivery of wrapped packaging.
C) I found the old General set I used to run in a box on a shelf in da basement........
Click to expand...

Do it, do it, do it!!!
 
I blame the wife! She always wants to get started with the decorations shortly after Turkey Day. I know it's probably not the "right" time, but it is what it is. At least I haven't foisted the Christmas theme upon ya'll yet!
 
Probably gonna put lights up around the front porch today. The tree will go up a week or so before Christmas.
 
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