Author Topic: Christmas Lights  (Read 10519 times)

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Offline K-S-U-Wildcats!

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #25 on: November 18, 2017, 02:15:31 PM »
I pay a guy a few hundred bucks to put up, take down,  and store our lights every year.

the ones we just got are $450 a year for that. am I getting ripped off or what?

Depends upon how many feet and what your time and safety is worth to you. I've put about $750 into my lights but that's for over 500 feet plus some trees. And I'm going on year 5. So if you buy the good stuff - not the crap at the big box stores - the price comes down over time. And you get more bang for your buck.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, K-State fans could have beheaded the entire KU team at midcourt, and K-State fans would be celebrating it this morning.  They are the ISIS of Big 12 fanbases.

Offline steve dave

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #26 on: November 18, 2017, 02:18:36 PM »
my time and safety are worth shitloads. I'm going to call it a good deal.

Offline star seed 7

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #27 on: November 18, 2017, 02:20:12 PM »
I think kdub is saying he spent 750 on lights not 750 on some dudes putting them up
Hyperbolic partisan duplicitous hypocrite

Offline steve dave

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #28 on: November 18, 2017, 02:23:57 PM »
I think kdub is saying he spent 750 on lights not 750 on some dudes putting them up

I know

Offline K-S-U-Wildcats!

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #29 on: November 18, 2017, 02:26:58 PM »
Yeah I do my own exterior illumination. But I like to live dangerously.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, K-State fans could have beheaded the entire KU team at midcourt, and K-State fans would be celebrating it this morning.  They are the ISIS of Big 12 fanbases.

Offline star seed 7

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #30 on: November 18, 2017, 02:27:28 PM »
Where does a person buy commercial quality Christmas lights?
Hyperbolic partisan duplicitous hypocrite

Offline K-S-U-Wildcats!

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #31 on: November 18, 2017, 02:34:34 PM »
Where does a person buy commercial quality Christmas lights?

eBay. Lots of places online. The key is to buy your bulbs separated from your wire (stringers). A commercial will have 3-5 leds per bulb and be way brighter and more durable than the cheap single-led crap at the stores. Plus the bulbs are interchangeable for replacement, color patterns, etc. By buying a spool of empty stringer, you cut it exactly to the lengths you need. Plugs clip onto the ends and you can even even add midline female plugs to branch off to do a window or something. I run my entire display off one outlet.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, K-State fans could have beheaded the entire KU team at midcourt, and K-State fans would be celebrating it this morning.  They are the ISIS of Big 12 fanbases.

Offline cfbandyman

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #32 on: November 18, 2017, 03:00:19 PM »
Where does a person buy commercial quality Christmas lights?

eBay. Lots of places online. The key is to buy your bulbs separated from your wire (stringers). A commercial will have 3-5 leds per bulb and be way brighter and more durable than the cheap single-led crap at the stores. Plus the bulbs are interchangeable for replacement, color patterns, etc. By buying a spool of empty stringer, you cut it exactly to the lengths you need. Plugs clip onto the ends and you can even even add midline female plugs to branch off to do a window or something. I run my entire display off one outlet.

LEDs are the crap because of this.
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Offline everyone shut up

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #33 on: November 18, 2017, 04:14:44 PM »
Did mine yesterday. First time I've ever hung lights in shorts and a t-shirt.

Offline Joker

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #34 on: November 18, 2017, 09:08:09 PM »
Where does a person buy commercial quality Christmas lights?

eBay. Lots of places online. The key is to buy your bulbs separated from your wire (stringers). A commercial will have 3-5 leds per bulb and be way brighter and more durable than the cheap single-led crap at the stores. Plus the bulbs are interchangeable for replacement, color patterns, etc. By buying a spool of empty stringer, you cut it exactly to the lengths you need. Plugs clip onto the ends and you can even even add midline female plugs to branch off to do a window or something. I run my entire display off one outlet.

This is some Clark Griswold level crap.

Offline steve dave

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #35 on: November 18, 2017, 09:14:17 PM »
“Commercial grade Christmas lights”

Offline kso_FAN

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #36 on: November 18, 2017, 09:18:08 PM »
Let me guess, K-S-U gets the big boy fireworks on the 4th too.

Offline K-S-U-Wildcats!

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #37 on: November 18, 2017, 10:15:05 PM »
I don't go too heavy on July 4. Stick mainly to the little stuff (roman candles and ground flowers are my favorites). I do typically buy about a dozen shells but that's about it. I'd rather go watch a professional display.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, K-State fans could have beheaded the entire KU team at midcourt, and K-State fans would be celebrating it this morning.  They are the ISIS of Big 12 fanbases.

Offline _33

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #38 on: November 19, 2017, 08:14:12 AM »
Went with the lights that just shine on your house this year.  You know, the ones that you just point toward your house and then they move around or whatever.  It looks terrible but at least I didn't have to get out the ladder and stuff.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2017, 09:09:30 AM by _33 »

Offline Joker

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #39 on: November 19, 2017, 11:02:53 AM »
Went with the lights that just shine on your house this year.  You know, the ones that you just point toward your house and then they move around or whatever.  It looks terrible but at least I didn't have to get out the ladder and stuff.

I pitched this idea last year but the Mrs. shot it down.

Offline K-S-U-Wildcats!

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #40 on: November 19, 2017, 01:43:23 PM »
I miss the warm glow of the old incandescents. But the LEDs I use are almost there. They just have too many other advantages to pass up. More durable, longer life, way cheaper to run, and way easier to connect. No more blown fuses on the lines or tripped breakers.

Finished the display yesterday and fired them up. Thanksgiving evening is our traditional lighting ceremony but too many other houses in the neighborhood broke the embargo.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, K-State fans could have beheaded the entire KU team at midcourt, and K-State fans would be celebrating it this morning.  They are the ISIS of Big 12 fanbases.

Offline pissclams

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #41 on: November 19, 2017, 01:47:50 PM »
I had lights on my patio but bats thought they were moths so I took them down


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Offline steve dave

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #42 on: November 19, 2017, 02:07:52 PM »
mine are all LEDs but the people who put them up and take them down also maintain them and replace bulbs and crap so I don't care about how long they last. I'll sell them with the house since they are custom cut for it.

Offline kso_FAN

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #43 on: November 19, 2017, 03:56:43 PM »


Nothing like the joy of putting up lights on a pleasant afternoon while listening to the Chiefs blow a game to one of the worst teams in football. :D

Offline Rage Against the McKee

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #44 on: November 19, 2017, 04:25:28 PM »
I put up my Christmas tree today and I'm pretty much done. Took 3 or 4 minutes total.

Offline Joker

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #45 on: November 19, 2017, 04:41:18 PM »
I put up my Christmas tree today and I'm pretty much done. Took 3 or 4 minutes total.

Already with the tree?  Man, let Thanksgiving have its turn.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2017, 04:46:55 PM by Joker »

Offline Rage Against the McKee

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #46 on: November 19, 2017, 04:55:02 PM »
I put up my Christmas tree today and I'm pretty much done. Took 3 or 4 minutes total.

Already with the tree?  Man, let Thanksgiving have its turn.

Going out of town for Thanksgiving, so the tree got done today.

Offline catastrophe

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #47 on: November 19, 2017, 10:03:31 PM »
Man, idk what kinds of neighborhoods some of you live in, but we put up like 8 very standard strings plus some icicle lights and we are usually the best display on the block.

Offline K-S-U-Wildcats!

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #48 on: November 20, 2017, 07:40:36 AM »
My neighborhood is pretty sad, too. Still way too many old people. I'd say 2/3 do nothing. A few use pros and you can always tell because they are very clean lines but also very minimal - typically just the eaves but no windows. They also often cut corners and go with colder LEDs. Then you've got the inflatables, which are a poor subsititute but way easier than lights. At least they're doing something. Me and a few others go all out.

Decorating fopaux: people who wrap their trees with green lights on the trunk and white lights on the branches. Why do people think the trunk should be green?
I've said it before and I'll say it again, K-State fans could have beheaded the entire KU team at midcourt, and K-State fans would be celebrating it this morning.  They are the ISIS of Big 12 fanbases.

Offline hatingfrancisco

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Re: Christmas Lights
« Reply #49 on: November 20, 2017, 07:56:13 AM »
I have the friendly folks @ Menards to thank for having my tree up and lights going on the house 2 weeks before Thanksgiving!  :shakesfist: