Christmas lights...

[Nemesis]

Festive cheer - or neighbours from hell?

Sure makes my efforts with holly and ivy and a candle look mean...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD4g0gmQSLk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taOxwemkZvs&mode=related&search=


and many more...

 

[Tom]

My instant reaction is that they're clearly lacking something in their lives if they have to go to that extent to 'show off' to others. I wonder what it is they're trying to prove? I can see the creative side but when it's done so publicly there's more to it than just putting up some lights for Christmas - it goes far beyond just 'joining in the fun'.......but then I can't stand Christmas anyway!! Aside from it being my birthday on Christmas Eve (totally bad planning on my mother's part!), Christmas to me is just an inconvenience. The only bonus this year is that we got a cracking deal on hiring a 3 ton digger because otherwise it would have been sat idle

Jaqy

 

[Nemesis]

I feel a Festive Failure... (but I admit I get a bit Bah! Humbug! about so much of it!)

 

[Lime]

Christmas lights do express something to me about the occupiers of property. It is noticable that many very large displays are on council or other rented property. The fitting of lights in some cases does damage to the house roof but who cares when it is not yours.

I read in the local rag this week of a Christmas light displayer bemoaning the fact that someone had cut all the wires to their display a few days after Christmas so that it was no more.
He went on to describe his system of lights which were on a timer from 4pm to 11pm.
He had no children but he said school children enjoyed watching them and came down his street especially.
The lights were run in concert to carols being broadcast to the street throughout the evening.

"If someone objected to the music I could have turned it down or switched it off" he said. :shock:

I'm not surprised that the wires were cut.
Playing loud music with flashing lights going all through the evening "attracting" groups of young people would drive most sensible people up the wall.
If it had been my neighbour the wires would have been cut the first day.

Happy New Year to you all. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Timw]

This seems to be an American phenomenon that has started to catch on over here. There are neighbourhoods in the US where every single house is done up in the most extavagently tacky manner. The residents clearly compete amongst themselves to come up with the most outrageous display.

For other families, a slow, admiring night time drive through these neighbourhoods is a mandatory part of Christmas.

I have seen one highly-decorated house over here where the owners have placed a collecting tin for a local charity. Perhaps, at the end of the day, it is a fairly harmless pursuit?

 

[Lime]

I'm not sure that any habit imported from America is harmless.

Putting a charity tin out does not mitigate the annoyance to other neighbours, the damage to property and the waste of energy that many of these displays consume.

It is all to do with competing with your neighbours and spending money.

Perhaps it would be better for the money that pays for the display to be donated directly to a charity and so save all the hassle.

 

[Nemesis]

Many do claim they are doing it all for charidee it has to be said. Wonder how much it all costs though in electricity?

However, I am only pleased that I don't have to have such lights flashing into my house and loud muzak being broadcast... I too would be out cutting wires in that case.

Those couple at least were sort of tasteful in a theatrical type of way - as the other half remarked, perhaps they have a better class of B and Q in the US!

 

[Lime]

I wonder who will be the first household to have their newly installed wind turbine blades bedecked with Christmas lights? :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[Nemesis]

There are worse Christmas videos of course...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uizWNy3Q1I&mode=related&search=

 

[Lime]

Having watched the video I wasn't listening to the singing for the most part.
I was trying to imagine looking out of my kitchen window onto the back lawn with those two on it.
They look just the thing I have been looking for to brighten up the garden for Christmas.

Definitely beats lights.

But they can leave their friends at home.

 

[Nemesis]

Friends such as Lib Dem MP's?

Yup.

 

[Paul Hopper]

Having just received our electricity estimate for each month throughout the next year, (Grittish Bass) There is no chance of Xmas lights , or for that matter, any other lights for the next year or two.

How do I build a Wind Turbine please?

Paul

 

[Nemesis]

Keep bees, make candles...

I sympathise. Last winter when our heating broke down and we were without for three months we ran a couple of portable electric heaters to supplement the stove in the living room and had to use the immersion heater for water.

Despite being very sparing with the extra heating etc our electricity bills soared and we are paying it all off at a vast rate per month, and seem set to continue for most of this year too!

 

[biffvernon]

How do I build a Wind Turbine please?

Hugh Piggott is you man. This is his website.

His next course is in February at Womersleys.

 

[Penners]

How do I build a Wind Turbine please?

Keep bees, make candles

Well I certainly wouldn't recommend Nemesis's wind turbine building course.

 

[Penners]

Following Biff's links about Hugh Piggott, I came across this pictorial record of one of his workshop courses at CAT. Very interesting.

 

[Moo]

What a jolly lot they all look.

But only two women, it would seem.

 

[Penners]

Surely women have never been as interested in power as men?

With the possible exception of a certain Mrs M. Thatcher.

 

[wobs]

Surely women have never been as interested in power as men?

With the possible exception of a certain Mrs M. Thatcher.

I think its more to do with women already having more power than men.

 

[wobs]

For those bahumbugs amoung you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRDJgn68h1A

Should have been a Christmas No1 :lol: A classic by Half Man Half Biscuit.