So how would you decorate these?

[Jim Hans]

So I just purchased and moved into this new house. For this Christmas I will be running a basic show as I don't have the time to really modify things much. I need all of your help though for ideas for 2013. The one thing I loved about this house are the columns in the front. I am looking for ideas on what to do with them so I can plan for next year. I am also looking for a bit of the how to aspect as well. For example, I thought I could make them into candy canes, that would look cool during the day... but how do I wrap them and with what? Anyway, these columns are crying to be lit up.. how would you do it if this was your house?

[Richard Hamilton]

I was also thinking of candy canes. Wrap them with alternating strings of red and white rope light that you can get from Wal-mart and plug them end to end to get the length you want. Anchor at the top and work your way down and you go around the pole. If you want to get fancy, you could put each rope light section on a different channel so you can give the effect of lights running up and down the pole in different colors.

[scubado]

Weber posts with pixels if money is not an issue. With pixels, your imagination is the limiting factor. I would do 18 sections with RGB ribbon. Replace the landscape timbers with new wood with a cap on top to conceal RGB ribbon similar to mine, don't need to be as high as mine.

[Tim Fischer]

Weber posts with pixels if money is not an issue.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a "Weber post"? I'm familiar with 'Weber Trees' but not posts...

[scubado]

Same concept just in post form. Just trying to inspire deep thoughts

[Max-Paul]

Nothing less that some RGB floods to light up the columns. Although CCRs (several per column) or some of the smart ribbons that many are playing with. Man the things you could do with multi ribbons per would be something.

[MCas4380]

your going to have a lot of fun with that canvas

[Arnoldc]

Would be cool to use them as firesticks.. then maybe a leaping arch on top? Along with that, add snow tubes to fill up the empty space.. Tons of ideas.. great pallet to work from!

[TheUltimate]

I like the firestick idea. That was my first thought. Thought I would ask what you mean by snow tubes?

[Jim Hans]

Would be cool to use them as firesticks.. then maybe a leaping arch on top? Along with that, add snow tubes to fill up the empty space.. Tons of ideas.. great pallet to work from!

I was thinking firesticks too but these columns are 23 feet tall. That's a LOT of lights and a LOT of channels for 3 of them or am i missing something in my thinking?

[Arteom]

1. Amazing, beautiful house!

2. Are you trying for something formal? Like maybe pre lit garland? Or maybe each column in red white and blue, or red green and white, or fire sticks like previously mentioned, possibilities are endless, I can see why you asked this question.

[Arnoldc]

I was thinking firesticks too but these columns are 23 feet tall. That's a LOT of lights and a LOT of channels for 3 of them or am i missing something in my thinking?

Jim, maybe do half the column.. Not all the way around.. I was thinking that one could wrap the columns, then like half way you add a leaping arch between the columns. Can you take a straight on shot of the house? I'll sketch up my ideas for you..

[Linda McDonald]

I was thinking of firesticks too. I made mine out of PVC pipe so I didn't need to use very many strings. These on my porch used four strings of LED 5 mm dome lights that I bought for $6.99 each.

[Linda McDonald]

Here's information on how I made them:

[Guest Don Gillespie]

Jim the question here is how many channels do you have to dedicate to the columns? if you have enough try a spiral wrap with three different colors

[Gr8jpn]

I have two columns on my house, (not quite as tall as yours). I use 2 total channels for my columns. I wrap each column at an angle like a candy cane in red, and leave enough space to wrap green in between the red. I use LED rope light. You can plug them end to end with power plug at ground level. The red is one channel, the green is the other channel.

It's a pretty neat effect if you are alternating between the channels from beat to beat of the music... especially when you get a get the a wizards in winter crazy shimmer back and forth... works for me. :-)

[Gr8jpn]

I should tell you that I tie a short piece of parachute cord around the end of the rope light, and cinch it down pretty tight.

(the cap covering the end is large enough to keep the rope from coming off)

I put one screw or hook in the top base of the column on the backside towards the house.

On the open end of my string I tie a loop and hang it on the hook. I then wrap my poles from top to bottom.

(I've tried wrapping from the bottom up and you ned up going up and down the ladder a hundred times)

I sort of take my time on the first one getting my spacing... then the other one is easy, because I just set it to match first column.

[larrym20]

Snowfall tubes. I did that on my pillars Jim along with red/white candy cane lights. I have more coming too. You saw my picture in the Lone Star Holidays forum.