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Neighbors and your lights...

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kedogn View Drop Down
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  Quote kedogn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Neighbors and your lights...
    Posted: 27 Oct 2008 at 1:27am
Let me ask everyone this, cause its been kinda bugging me... I am not one to spend much time talking to my neighbors, not because I don't like them, I just am not the kind to go knock on a door and say "What's up?"  With that said, if I see one outside when I am out, I will wave and say Hi, but that's it.  I have lived here just over 3 years and actually have several neighbors I have not even spoken a direct word with...strange, maybe, but none have contacted us either, so fair is fair I guess.

With that said, since you're doing a big lights display, would it be best to go talk to your neighbors to see how they feel about it, or let them come to you?  If you chose to let them come to you, is it fair enough to assume that if none do, they must be golden with it? As I mentioned in another post, some neighbors have mentioned it to me in approval, none saying they didnt like it, but none of my immediate neighbors have said a word to me.  I was told that the guy that lives almost directly across from us come over on Christmas Eve last year to tell me he loved the lights, but I wasn't home.  From the story I got I was unable to tell if it was a serious or not, really. I mean when I kick on the icicle lights, it's bright enough to light his front yard across the street and the reflection in his living room window can't be missed.  I still say that they have the best seats in the area, especially this year with us broadcasting our music, they can sit in comfort, flip on the radio and enjoy... but would they? Ya know?

A big reason I am worried about this is that we are going from 32 channels last year to 112 this year and from about 7K in lights last year to over 20K this year....so what do y'all do... proactive or sit back and let them come to you?
BOOMER SOONER!

Lee Family Lights
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JonB256 View Drop Down
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  Quote JonB256 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 2008 at 6:11am
This has been asked yearly on Planet Christmas. The consensus has been - don't ever ask for permission from your neighbors. If you do, and one says no, then what do you do? If it really bothers someone, they will let you know. The most common complaint will be about traffic problems and safety, not about the lights. 
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  Quote bdkeen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 2008 at 6:45am

Ken - sounds like we live in almost the same neighborhood. Last year I ran the 6 channels of Mr. Christmas lights-N-Sound. Basede on the amount of sales I expected there would be alot of these boxes running lightsw on homes. Didn'e see another one anywhere around. If we saw 1 or 2 cars stop we thought we were doing good. It wasn't until later in the year through some idle conversation with our neighbors we found out there were cars parked up and down the street watching. All the neighbors seemed to like what we did. I warned them that this year will be much more, 112 channels, a bigger display, and possibly alot more traffic.  Everyone came back positive and are anxiously awaiting the display.  Several had  tuned radios and commented on how they liked watching from their homes and how they look forward to doing the same this year. So I'd have to say the reaction around me has been positive.

Jokingly I tell them to sell hot chocolate to the display visitors and make a few $'s on the side.
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  Quote tonyjmartin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 2008 at 9:47am
Originally posted by JonB256

This has been asked yearly on Planet Christmas. The consensus has been - don't ever ask for permission from your neighbors. If you do, and one says no, then what do you do? If it really bothers someone, they will let you know. The most common complaint will be about traffic problems and safety, not about the lights. 

As has been said on PC before: "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission."

That being said, I think that since our display has increased gradually since we moved here in 2002, it has always been eagerly anticipated with thoughts of "I wonder what they're gonna do this year?"  In 2007 we more than doubled our light count (up to 30K) and added computer control, but we were still unsynchronized with the music over our FM transmitter, so the hype was kept to a minimum. 

Across town, a friend with 32 channels of LOR had traffic backed up around the block, and he was pretty worried about neighbor relations.  He handled it by talking to everyone in advance and by hosting a "kick-off" dinner party for the neighborhood.  Not asking for permission, mind you, but just letting everyone know what was up.  And I think that everything went smoothly for all concerned, even though the front page add in the local paper did up the traffic count a lot.  It was fun to see him standing outside passing out candy canes to carloads of spectators.  I don't think that I'd be that brave at 10 degrees F!



Edited by tonyjmartin - 27 Oct 2008 at 9:48am
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
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  Quote Pony_God Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 2008 at 12:52pm
We're going to end up with a little party, family and neighbors to come to the grand starting. Unfortunatly for us, we're about 400' back from the road, and nothing is near the road (this year). We're also on a dead-end road, so that helps as well.
Beyond that, the ONE neighbor next to us has already seen previews and sings the preview song all year. And the one OTHER close neighbor is across the street 2 lots down. :)
This is why we live where we do! :)
 
I imagine next year we'd just do a little get-togeather for the start of the show season.
Fine. You're so smart you rig up the lights.
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  Quote ChrisL1976 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 2008 at 1:40pm
Same situation here....of 12 houses on my block....I have in 3 years, talked to 5.....talk to the one next to me once or twice a month.     Like said above....I would not ask for permission. Its only up for one month....its not like its a year round thing.  Unless your causing some major traffic issues, people would have to be pretty scroogish to complain.  
Chris

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  Quote BigDPS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 2008 at 5:24pm
I'm in the same boat...I'm not the type to go mingle with our neighbors.
 
Last year for the opening of our first show, we sat in the neighbor's yard across our house and drank wine. We didn't have a car radio to hear the lights but a boombox on our yard pointing at us. We could hear the neighbors on the other side of where we were commenting on how nice it looked but never had anyone come to me and approve or dissapprove for the light show. Going from 1700 lights in 2007  to over 5000 this year (more next year I hope!!) maybe that will change.Wink

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  Quote bdkeen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 2008 at 7:02pm
I sort of like the idea of being 'That crazy old guy that lives up the street' LOL
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  Quote kedogn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Nov 2008 at 10:20am
UPDATE:

I wanted to mention that yesterday while putting up lights and while running power cords and such I actually had a few of my neighbors comment on our lights... ALL POSITIVE!  The ones I was afraid of most, the ones almost directly across the street, said they LOVED the light show, even commented on how much they liked our Halloween show (wasnt much really, but thats still cool to hear).  Mind you, this is the first time I have ever talked to this guy and I told him I was glad to hear they did cause I was worried about the amount of light I was throwing their way and he says, "Really? No, we dont notice it at all when we close our curtains, so its great!"  After talking for a few minutes I felt so much better.  Had been worrying about that... especially about them.

A few others stopped to comment as they drove by as well.  I must have talked to a dozen or so that live in our neighborhood yesterday.  Heck even my direct neighbors wife commented on how it was looking really good and how she really liked the little trees (mini trees) down front.  Others commented on how they cnat wait to see it all lit up.

Thats a load off my mind...
BOOMER SOONER!

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  Quote Pony_God Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Nov 2008 at 10:42am
MMMmmmm MIni trees, such cool little guys. I love them. -- Need more of them.
So that's cool, that every's happy.
Our neighbor's that 'don't compete' went out and bought new grapevine deer, and created a mega tree from thier flag pole. But they still aren't competeing... Even though that's more than we've ever seen them do. haha
Fine. You're so smart you rig up the lights.
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