How Did This All Get Started????
Decorating with lights started at an early age, at around 7 years old, when Santa first delivered 5 strings of GE "Merry Midget" lights to me. I remember clearly, each strand was a lengthy 35 bulbs long! Initially, I was a little disappointed as I had specifically asked Santa for the "Large Bulb C9 sets". Santa must have misheard me... After that Christmas, my parents started learning a little more about light bulbs, and had me travel along with them to the store when purchasing light sets! Growing up, light sets were always purchased after Christmas when the items were marked down.
Each year after that Christmas, the amount of lights in my collection would grow and grow. Actually, I still have the first 5 light sets that Santa delivered; however, I "retired" those sets from use in 1997. Today, I still enjoy looking through boxes of old bulbs & repair many of them, as time permits.
Each year after that Christmas, the amount of lights in my collection would grow and grow. Actually, I still have the first 5 light sets that Santa delivered; however, I "retired" those sets from use in 1997. Today, I still enjoy looking through boxes of old bulbs & repair many of them, as time permits.
Today, the light show display has shifted to mostly LEDs with some incandescent lights. Originally, the more traditional lights offered more options for programming versus LEDs; but technology has advanced a lot in recent years where both types offer many options.
For those of you that have transitioned to LEDs, I am open to accepting your older traditional lights that are no longer wanted! I repair some to use in various light displays and others are recycled for the wire with the money going directly to local charities.
Large recycle bins have been placed at the Tittabawassee Township Park for convenience of donating unwanted lights. The bins are located on the north side of the parking lot, directly under the overhead light.
Light Show History:
* In 1998, my first light display involved decorating a 40' tall pine tree. This tree had hundreds of C7 bulbs and required 3-20 amp circuits to light.
* In December of 1999, I moved to Freeland; but, I only put up a total of 25 light bulbs (C9) on the garage.
* In 2000, the adventure began.....I started decorating the house with "quite a few lights".
Each year the display would grow, and in 2003, the C9 bulbs were "not big enough"... so I switched to using 25 watt bulbs for the large front pine tree.
* In 2005, some friends informed me of an "animated light display from someone in Ohio". After viewing the video once, I knew this was my "next big step"... the rest is history!
* From 2005 - 2014, the display would continue to grow, changing every year in the display set-up, song selection, and number of lights used!
In 2014, the light show was moved to Tittabawassee Township Park. The Township office, parks, police and area business owners have been extremely welcoming & supportive of the park location.
The biggest challenge for us each year, is "What are we going to change or add to the display next year??"
The show continues to be displayed during the month of December at the Tittabawassee Township Park.