Chuck Smith

2015
More indoor decorating
Fall is here and in much of the world that means the reappearance of orange, brown, yellow, and of course, pumpkin spice everything! We have some simply amazing ideas to help your house look and feel like fall. This first centerpiece is simple yet classy and elegant. All you need are some of those beautiful fall leaves, a strand of pure white or warm white bulbs, a clear vase – any shape or size will work – and some modpodge! Drill a hole in the bottom of the vase to slide the lights through. Modpodge the leaves to the inside…
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2015
More from the rumor mill
Microsoft has determined the attention span of a human is eight seconds. Mythbusters figured out a goldfish can stay focused 30-45 seconds. Finally it’s been proven once and for all that if you want something done right, engage a goldfish. It certainly explains the actions of the younger elves around this place. Get them out of the workshop and long noses are-all-but glued to their smartphones checking on the latest non-information from Facebook and Twitter. What does all this mean for Christmas decorators? Either install some sort of smartphone jamming device or make your work more interesting than the Kardashians…
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2015
Top 10 Christmas show tunes
At PlanetChristmas we get to see a lot of Christmas light displays. The staff started wondering if there was any such thing as a Top 10 list of tunes used in these shows. None could be found so we’re taking on the responsibility. Let’s just say it’s a lot easier said than done. We checked with various sequence vendors and then scanned YouTube, Vimeo and Facebook for Christmas light shows where the lights danced to the music. Wow! What creativity. It didn’t take long to figure out people really like Trans-Siberian Orchestra and the theme song from Disney’s movie Frozen…
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2015
Halloween versus Christmas
In the past, it seemed that no two holidays could be at more opposite ends of the spectrum than Christmas and Halloween. Today, however, Halloween is viewed more as theatrics and entertainment than the celebration of something dark and has subsequently made major gains in popularity. Home haunters, professional haunts and theme parks are all growing their Halloween offerings to include much more technology… much of which overlaps into Christmas as well as other holidays and even other areas outside of holidays. As an example, when we first designed the FireFly lightning simulator family, it was all about Halloween. Churches…
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2015
Sleigh Time
The only thing that could improve your high tech Christmas display is a Santa sleigh direct from the 19th century! We decorate our homes with the latest in LED lights. They’re synchronized by computer to our favorite Christmas carols. Not only can our displays be seen from other planets, but they sometimes remind viewers of a space ship. This is all very cool, but maybe we need to balance our displays with a nod to Christmas past. Let’s add a little influence reminiscent of Clement Moore’s The Night Before Christmas. Our mission at Christmas Past Sleigh Company is to take…
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2015
Blowmold renewal
Collecting and showing off blow molds is a passion many of us have. The thrill of finding an elusive piece is matched only when we can get it looking like it was brand new. How do you renew an old mold? Time, some chemicals and a lot of elbow grease yield great results. Trust me. I want your blow mold to look great so follow these easy instructions. Supplies needed: Natural bristle or plastic scrub brush (caution: a wire brush can scratch the plastic) Old toothbrush Paper towels or clean cotton rags Large bucket Mild dish detergent Ammonia (use lemon…
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2015
Being on national TV
The Belcher family was a participant in Episode 1 of ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight” for 2014. We were included in the TV show which aired December 8th. We didn’t come out on top but Mr. Weaver deservedly won the coveted light bulb trophy for his wonderful Disney castle and character creations. First, a little about our display Our 2014 Christmas display was an experiment in visual arts in which we “projection mapped” the front and one side of our two story brick and wood home. Projection mapping is a fairly new art form which in its simplest form…
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2015
Indoor decorating twists
Cool Arctic Colors Arctic. Put your fertile mind to work and we bet you can imagine the North Pole, polar bears and really cold weather; like arctic conditions. We drew from the word arctic to create a stunning collection of ornaments that with each glance will transport you to a chilling state of being. White, silver, clear, aqua, and blue come together to perfectly mesh in garlands and wreaths of various sizes. They’re sure to be a hit in any room and for any season. The arctic collection will be perfect to enhance your holiday display this season, but don’t…
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2015
Made in the USA?
That’s a question that we hear frequently and truthfully – though we’ll admit that we may get a bit tired of repeatedly answering that question – we’re not really tired of hearing the question. The reason is because that question indicates some good things. It shows our customers are a cut above the masses, flocking to the big box stores each season, eagerly buying the cheapest Christmas lights they can find. It shows that our customers are smart enough to recognize that price is only one consideration of many in determining the true worth of a product. And yes, it…
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2014
The rumor mill never stops
Been hearing some weird rumors from participants in the 2014 version of ABC’s Great Christmas Light Fight. Decorating started sometime during the second week in September with final judging three weeks later. I’m thinking getting excited about your big Christmas reveal in early October could be challenging. Since participants aren’t allowed to tell anyone what they’re doing the neighbors might get a bit irritated seeing a big Christmas display weeks before Halloween. I’m guessing the timing is really convenient for the TV people having to create something for airing in December but if I was a contest participant, I’d be…
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