Sunday, December 21, 2008



Bethany: Is your house on fire, Clark?
Clark: No, Aunt Bethany, those are the Christmas lights.

So. Some years I put out outside Christmas lights. Some I don't. Depends on whether I get the necessary combination of weather and time to do it.

This year, I thought I'd be environmentally responsible and buy LED lights. Found lovely red, green and white ones. So far, so good.

I only put lights on the front stair railings because I don't do ladders at the best of times and I sure don't do them when there's snow on the ground.

I have a whole routine worked out for rigging up the lights involving taping up the open ends of the string with plastic so no water gets in and wrapping the connection between the lights and the extension cords. It takes about half an hour of prep work before I even step outside. I like to minimize my time spent in -10 C environments. Plus the electrical tape works better at room temperature.

It takes 3 strings of lights and two extention cords to decorate the stairs. I had the first two sets out of the packaging and all safely taped up to the extention cords. Things were going fine until I took the third new set of lights out of the package. As I straightened them out I heard, "SNAP!" and then I was being stared in the face by bare copper wire where the wire had pulled out of the base of a light socket. (Which I didn't take a picture of, which is very unusual for me, you have to admit.) The lights have been returned to the store for a full refund, no arguments; just nice, friendly, efficient refund. But I have one question.

Why couldn't I have opened the faulty package of lights first?

*sigh*

8 Comments:

Blogger #Debi said...

So, are you happy w/the LED lights? I have not heard good things about them...

December 22, 2008 at 8:03 a.m.  
Blogger Mr Farty said...

I've heard great things about LED lights. Do tell!

December 22, 2008 at 8:07 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have friends who put up LED lights. Mixed results. They seem to last longer than the package says they should (sometimes), and at other times they sputter and blink. Definitely didn't say *that* on the box.

December 22, 2008 at 11:04 p.m.  
Blogger WrathofDawn said...

#Debi - I'm happy with them now. I got a full refund. :)

Mr. Farty - Well, that's about it. They broke before I could put them up. Not a recommendation for that particular brand, at least. I should have gotten Noma.

Erin - Everyone around me seems to have good luck with them. But then, I'm not really paying that much attention, to be honest.

December 22, 2008 at 11:50 p.m.  
Blogger #Debi said...

I've heard that they have really harsh, glaring light that hurts the eye. Maybe the colored ones are better, though...

December 23, 2008 at 8:22 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from New Zealand

December 25, 2008 at 6:38 p.m.  
Blogger WrathofDawn said...

I had the red, white and green ones. The white actually looked kind of blue-ish to me.

Hello, edt! Long time no see! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, too!

December 26, 2008 at 2:03 a.m.  
Blogger Richard Wintle said...

Hint for next year - do.not.buy the solar-powered LED lights. They bring a whole new meaning to the term "anemic".

*mutters darkly*

December 29, 2008 at 3:51 p.m.  

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