uncledan Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 After close to a decade of doing this I'm finally going outside and interacting with the viewers. My kids have a hot apple cider stand every night and it is awesome! Some of the proceeds go to them but most goes to a local charity which we do a toy drive for every year. I want to teach them work ethic as well as being giving individuals, which is what its all about. Giving to people less fortunate. They also go around car to car handing out candy canes. It is the most gratifying thing to interact with the people who watch your display. The viewers are very curious how it all works and have many questions. I'm not a real people person, but this makes it all worth while. I came home this evening with 50+ people in my front yard with chairs, fm radios, coolers, etc, plus a couple dozen cars lined up down the street. I know everyone doesn't live on the Central Coast of California where its 80 degrees in December. But, if you can go outside, do it! It makes all the hard work worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainyoregonchristmas Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 (edited) I drove an hour round trip to a fellow lighters display, and we missed their show literally by a minute or two. It started on the hour and we got there 15 minutes after the hour and the show had ended, and the snow machines had just stopped by the time my daughter got from our parking spot to the display. When you tell someone at the age of five that there's going to be snow machines and lights like Daddy's, there better be snow and lights. The lights were static, and the snow machines were stopped. I talked the the individual running the display for the decorator, and he really just blew us off told us the decorator was inside. I did introduce myself as a fellow decorator and that I wanted to meet the man behind it all, but to now avail. I wasn't able to talk to anyone but the guy who knew literally nothing about the display. I wanted to see what I missed, so I looked around, and pointed out RGB floods, and a controller in the bushes to my wife which I guess creeped out the gentleman who basically shooed us away from the display. We were told if we wanted to see a "Mini" show it would start in 45 minutes but would have to come back then, but the snow wouldn't run then because it isn't cheap or free. I had no idea that they only ran one "Big" (15 minute) show a night and 2 "Mini" shows (who knows what that meant). WHAT? Come on! Do you want to know WHY it took us a while to get there? Because my children were running around before hand trying to find their snow boots. In my part of Oregon, snow is pretty rare, and it took me a bit to explain this snow was just fuzzy bubbles. Once they understood that, then they were just willing to grab shoes, and leave the boots. To them, this was a big deal. I told the guy, this was one of the very few nights our family was all together and could see the "Show", but it didn't matter to him. I know it takes one click to fire up just one song. But, yeah, didn't happen. So we left, I won't be back. That was my one chance for this year. And frankly it left a bitter taste in my mouth. So yeah, I second getting out there and meeting people. And if you can't afford the snow. Take down the stupid machine, and don't say you have one. If someone drives an hour round trip, and just want to see the display run, give them one song. Really, it just takes a right click, a radio button and a left click. Presto, show. Ok, I'm gonna take my soap box and leave now. Edited December 8, 2014 by rainyoregonchristmas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstorms Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 (edited) This year I have neighbors and friends bring out camp chairs instead of doing a looping show. I have to say I love it. First, I get to see my own display, I get to see people's reactions, and in general it's a very nice way of getting to know friends and neighbors better. Edited December 8, 2014 by jstorms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Softball Shawn Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 I am right there with you. As it gets closer and closer to Christmas I have found myself outside more and more talking with everybody. However it does suck to never get a free minute for a hot dinner or to just veg out on the couch. For you rainyoregonchristmas, I am right there with you; I would have been pissed. We all know the hard work that goes into the displays that we all have and I love being able to speak with someone that understands our language and doesn't ask "How much is your electric bill?". If you don't want visitors and are not willing to speak to someone about your display, don't do one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledan Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 Sorry to hear about your bad experience. That individuals lighting schedule sounds a little odd to me. A 15 minute show every hour? Sounds like a bad seed in the LOR community to me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeERWNC Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 I am out every half hour. My show is currently 34 minutes. I haven't even unloaded half a case of candy canes, yet.I have a friend who is a local Sheriff, he and his staff are making sure my speeders are not ruining anyone's holiday.It is amazing how many people can not see a patrol car even when their headlights are making the decals on the side of the car glow extremely bright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 And that's just one more reason why I think it's stupid and arrogant to think your show is so special that it only runs at certain times. I'm not doing all this work only to disappoint people, and the absolute LAST thing I ever want is for someone to leave the display feeling as violated as Rainey did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeERWNC Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 (edited) Hmmm... George Simmons violated me. Cool. At least we won't ever see that headline. Luv U George. Edited December 8, 2014 by MikeERWNC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledan Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 Well said George. My 35 minute show runs continuously from 5:15-11:00 on weekends and 5:15-10:00 on weekdays. I have had people knock on door and ask to turn on the lights after 10 on weekdays. Of course I turn it on! Its usually similar circumstances as RainyOregon stated. Kids in the car, traveled long distances, etc... How can you say no! I hope whoever the fellow lighter is that said no is on the forum and reads these posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grinch Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 We turn our lights ON for the first time after dinner on Thanksgiving each year. So the family and neighbors meet outside at a predetermined time and we all watch together. That one night makes it worth the endless hours it takes to prepare and setup. This year we had people walk up to our display as we were all out there. I quickly invited them up closer to make sure they had a good viewing angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1983ss454 Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Well said George. My 35 minute show runs continuously from 5:15-11:00 on weekends and 5:15-10:00 on weekdays. I have had people knock on door and ask to turn on the lights after 10 on weekdays. Of course I turn it on! Its usually similar circumstances as RainyOregon stated. Kids in the car, traveled long distances, etc... How can you say no! I hope whoever the fellow lighter is that said no is on the forum and reads these posts. We've done this as well in the past, but I can also say there was one time when we had a couple drunk in their car beeping after midnight wondering why the lights weren't on. I can't say I turned them on that night lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledan Posted December 9, 2014 Author Share Posted December 9, 2014 A couple drunk in their car beeping... That's when I call the cops and they get a light show of flashing lights and sirens they won't like too much... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebaronn Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Man, It's sad but I am kinda "that" guy. My dragon moves every show but only spits out smoke on Friday and Saturday, just because I need to be home to make sure it is working (not to mention the neighbors need a break from the smoke). And, she needs a lot of TLC. (the fogger died on sat night and I was up on the roof at 9pm fixing it, telling people to give me 5-10min) But I guarantee that if I am there, and someone wants a show, they get one. But all these things are explained on the lightsofthevalley website and the facebook page. So, maybe not the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledan Posted December 9, 2014 Author Share Posted December 9, 2014 Your dragon is amazing! Are you the creator of lights of the valley? My house has been on there for last five years or so and was always curious who's behind it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebaronn Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Oh no sir.My home is just on there as well. The creator is Alex Dourov. He is a great guy.And ty for the dragon comment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crackchecker Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 If my show ends and ANYONE asks to see it... I will turn it on without question. Heck, I have even run the show early for a family that could not come back when it was dark. The problem I run into is MY time, or lack there of. Between Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, work, church, and my son's and my choir practices I have none to visit with viewers and this bothers me sometimes. I have MISSED the Christmas Eve rush EVERY YEAR so far. I've only seen pictures from friends of the lineup of cars in each direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friskybri Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 I have turned it back on when us guys are out there drinking after 11pm. Beer and Lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 We've seen people "beeping" in their cars on two separate occasions. Well, actually I didn't see the first couple - the windows were pretty steamed up. But the second couple really put on a show. Good thing it was late at night and they were the only car left on the street. I don't think they even noticed when I shut down the display for the evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebaronn Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Guess I'm getting old and losing brain cells. I was thinking "beeping" was another word for honking. My wife had to correct me..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxon Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Last night I was waiting for 2 cars to leave, waiting, waiting, waiting,,,,,then I noticed my lights were not the only thing flashing, the continual flash of a lighter in the car. It wasn't in tune to the music so I shut the show down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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