# PlanetChristmas > All Christmas All The Time! ## Posts - [Freakonomics talks about Christmas Lights](https://planetchristmas.com/freakonomics-talks-about-christmas-lights/): Freakonomics ‘The Economics of Everyday Things’ did an episode on Christmas lights.  About 15 minutes in you get to hear a little from Chuck Smith at PlanetChristmas. Listen to the podcast at the Freakonomics website, or look for episode 119 on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. For the audio-challenged, here’s the transcript pulled from the Freakonomics website: *      *      * ‘Twas a day in the winter of 1991. Dean Lyons was working construction, and it was no fun. LYONS: I’m framing houses. I was probably making seven, eight bucks an hour maybe. A guy walked across the street, … - [So Many Santas!](https://planetchristmas.com/so-many-santas/): One guy, a camera, computer and too much time. John Wernega plays his music arrangement of “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas.” This video shows some of the fun, crazy things that Santa likes to do throughout the year when he is not delivering presents. Videography, choreography, costume design, and video editing by John Wernega The multitrack audio was recorded in Garageband, the videos were recorded with a Sony A7sii mirrorless DSLR camera, and the videos and audio were edited together in Final Cut Pro. There were lots of green screens used for these recordings, hung on the wall behind, the floor … - [Where are Christmas Lights Made?](https://planetchristmas.com/where-are-christmas-lights-made/): Ever wonder where all the Christmas lights come from in the 21st century? My first thought was Walmart… Thanks to our friends at Christmas Designers, we can gain insight into how, where, and why they’re made. Watch the video and be just a little bit smarter. - [Time to fix that Christmas Light string](https://planetchristmas.com/time-to-fix-that-christmas-light-string/): The best time to fix troublesome Christmas light strings is during the off-season. Here’s a pretty good video for attacking those cheap incandescent light strings: - [We've made it too complicated!](https://planetchristmas.com/weve-made-it-too-complicated/): Remember chaser strings from long ago?  Wrap one of those around your Christmas tree and suddenly it had personality.  The string had a controller at the end about the size of a matchbox.  Press a button to pick a pattern and you were done programming the computer. Drive around now and some of the over-the-top Christmas displays with thousands of pixels and dozens of color changing props make the old chaser strings look like they were from the stone age.  Lots of WOW but at what cost? Today’s flashy Christmas displays require you to be a computer nerd with a … - [PlanetChristmas way back in 2023!](https://planetchristmas.com/planetchristmas-is-back-in-2023/): Here’s a short video (just over a minute) that shows the highlights of PlanetChristmas 2023. The last major light display at the PlanetChristmas world headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee was back in 2003.  LEDs and digital pixels were science fiction.  Watching the electric meter spin like a top when all the outside Christmas lights were on was normal.  When the lights were the brightest outside the house the lights were dimming inside, My how times have changed.  Watch the full length video below. The PlanetChristmas synchronized light display is finally back home.  Chuck Smith is using it as a testing ground … - [A Better/Cheaper RGB Pixel Matrix Solution?](https://planetchristmas.com/a-better-cheaper-rgb-pixel-matrix-solution/): I’ve been thinking about adding some sort of pixel matrix to my Christmas display so I could do more messages, graphics and video.  A P10 RGB panel display or pixel mesh solution was going to run a minimum of $600 plus a lot of labor but I would have a low resolution RGB panel prop to really add pazazz to the layout. Ouch. Then I walked through a local big box store and saw a 50″ TV for $200.  For about $100 I could build a weatherproof enclosure and have a hi-definition screen in my Christmas display.  As an extra … - [Thinking about RGB pixels?](https://planetchristmas.com/thinking-about-rgb-pixels/): Back in the old days you would plug in a string of Christmas lights and they would just turn on.  Easy. Technology started getting involved about a decade ago. Think about a special string of Christmas lights where any light could be any color at any time. The concept has evolved quite a bit and is now referred to as RGB pixels.  Some of the challenges with pixels include they tend to be more complicated to implement than the old days, expensive and not as efficient as you might think when when it comes to using electricity… but the possibilities … - [Make your own wireframe for the yard](https://planetchristmas.com/make-your-own-wireframe-for-the-yard/): Ready to create your own wireframes to continue the theme you have evolving in your Christmas display?  You can always go to a local welding shop but it gets expensive in a hurry. Bergmann Lights has a series of videos to help you wrap your head around building your own wireframes from 1/4 inch steel rod. This video covers selecting an image, cutting the steel to size, welding it together and then painting it. Standby while we load this from YouTube… - [How to fix a blow mold?](https://planetchristmas.com/2327-2/): Does your Christmas blow mold need some tender-loving care?  John Yanik created an excellent video to guide you through the process.  Check it out! Standby while we load this from YouTube… - [How do they make Christmas lights?](https://planetchristmas.com/how-do-they-make-christmas-lights/): So, how does the factory make a string of Christmas Lights?  It really helps to have a specialized machine and a lot of automation.  This YouTube video is a bit dated and mixes incandescent with LED lights but it does a good job of showing how automation works.  It also shows the difference between lights wired in series and parallel.  You’ll better understand the phrase “when one goes out they all go out.” Standby while we load this from YouTube… - [Holiday Lights at Cheekwood Trains 2022](https://planetchristmas.com/holiday-lights-at-cheekwood-trains-2022/): What happens when you mix a giant model trains layout with Christmas lights dancing to the music?  You end up with Holiday Lights down at the TRAINS! display at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens in Nashville, Tennessee.  The outdoor layout has over 1000 feet of track running eight trains.  See more at http://cheekwood.org/trains. PlanetChristmas helped with the design and installation of the holiday lights.  Details are below but checkout the video first. So how about some details of the display? Train gauge: G scale Number of separate tracks: 8 Total length of tracks: 1035 feet Total lights: 30,964 RGB pixels: 12,887 … - [2022 Top 10 Christmas tunes list](https://planetchristmas.com/2022-top-10-christmas-tunes-list/): At PlanetChristmas we get to see a lot of Christmas displays. We also talk to music producers, programmers and radio DJs about what they think will be hot come Christmas time. This is tough because people love the old traditional tunes when it comes to Christmas but we’re going to give it our best shot. Here’s the official PlanetChristmas top 10 list of the most popular tunes people will use to create over-the-top Christmas shows in 2022.  A Holly Jolly Christmas by Michael Bublé  White Christmas by Bing Crosby  Santa Tell Me by Ariana Grande  Run Run Rudolph by Luke … - [Be a good Santa](https://planetchristmas.com/be-a-good-santa/): I had the pleasure of attending the “Celebrate Santa” convention back in March of this year. There were about 400 portly gentlemen attending to trade secrets on how to be a better Santa. I took all the knowledge collected at this gathering, mixed it with my own and have come up with ten tips on how you can be a great Santa. Read them now and start practicing for this holiday season. It will be time very well spent. You Have a Major Responsibility Being Santa Claus carries a lot of responsibilities. People see a good looking Santa and want … - [The Forums are back!](https://planetchristmas.com/the-forums-are-back/): It was 1997 when the Internet was relatively new and the PlanetChristmas.com domain had just been granted. Back then you filled out a paper form, mailed it in and waited several weeks to see if you got the domain name you wanted. I found some free software for a bulletin board application, installed it on the new PlanetChristmas domain, made a few posts and forgot about it. Several weeks later there was another post and after about a year there were a handful of Christmas decorating fanatics exchanging ideas. How we found each other is still a mystery to me … - [TSO keeps going and going and going](https://planetchristmas.com/tso-keeps-going/): Trans-Siberian Orchestra reveals 2022 holiday tour dates and answers your burning questions by Melissa Ruggieri of USA TODAY Rare is the juggernaut as potent as Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The musical locomotive – a gloriously grandiose combination of classical music, hair metal and holiday feels – has owned the road for more than two decades (virtually in 2020) and 2,000 shows. This year’s tour, dubbed The Ghosts of Christmas Eve – The Best of TSO and More, pulls from TSO’s “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” album and TV special, one of the enduring holiday classics created primarily by late founder, composer and … - [PlanetChristmas video from 2002](https://planetchristmas.com/planetchristmas-video-from-2002/): Back in the good-old-days the PlanetChristmas display at the Smith household was quite popular.  The local Fox 17 news outlet from Nashville, Tennessee came out to film the display.  That night they featured it on the local show… and it was obvious the news anchors had never previewed the video.  Quite entertaining. The video is a bit blurry (keep in mind this was 2002 and before modern high definition TV). Some quick facts: 134,000 lights in the display 548 electrical circuits 7.8 miles of wire 212 minitrees - [PlanetChristmas featured on Yahoo](https://planetchristmas.com/planetchristmas-featured-on-yahoo/): Did you know Yahoo used to have a video production group that created content for a channel called “Second Chance”?  Somehow they found a reluctant Chuck Smith of PlanetChristmas to do a story about. Chuck was on his way to the Christmas Ranch to help Michael Fuchs and was met by a film crew.  The rest is history. - [In A Christmas Story, what gift does Ralphie receive from his aunt? A pink bunny suit.](https://planetchristmas.com/in-a-christmas-story-what-gift-does-ralphie-receive-from-his-aunt-a-pink-bunny-suit/) - [What is the most recorded Christmas song of all time? “Silent Night.”](https://planetchristmas.com/what-is-the-most-recorded-christmas-song-of-all-time-silent-night/) - [Who invented electric Christmas lights? Thomas Edison in 1880.](https://planetchristmas.com/who-invented-electric-christmas-lights-thomas-edison-in-1880/) - [What alcohol is used to “spike” eggnog? Rum.](https://planetchristmas.com/what-alcohol-is-used-to-spike-eggnog-rum/) - [Which president had his own special recipe for eggnog? George Washington.](https://planetchristmas.com/which-president-had-his-own-special-recipe-for-eggnog-george-washington/) - [What is the best-selling Christmas song ever? “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby.](https://planetchristmas.com/what-is-the-best-selling-christmas-song-ever-white-christmas-by-bing-crosby/) - [How do you say Merry Christmas in Hawaiian? Mele Kalikimaka.](https://planetchristmas.com/how-do-you-say-merry-christmas-in-hawaiian-mele-kalikimaka/) - [What should we leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve? Milk and cookies.](https://planetchristmas.com/what-should-we-leave-out-for-santa-on-christmas-eve-milk-and-cookies/) - [What year was Santa born? 270 AD.](https://planetchristmas.com/what-year-was-santa-born-270-ad/) - [Name Santa's reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and sometimes Rudolph..](https://planetchristmas.com/name-santas-reindeer-dasher-dancer-prancer-vixen-comet-cupid-donner-blitzen-and-sometimes-rudolph/) - [What vegetable allows Santa's reindeer to fly? Carrots.](https://planetchristmas.com/what-vegetable-allows-santas-reindeer-to-fly-carrots/) - [Which reindeer is named after thunder? Donner (the German word for “thunder”).](https://planetchristmas.com/which-reindeer-is-named-after-thunder-donner-the-german-word-for-thunder/) - [Which country started the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree first? Germany.](https://planetchristmas.com/which-country-started-the-tradition-of-putting-up-a-christmas-tree-first-germany/) - [Throughout the holiday season, under which type of plant are people supposed to kiss? Mistletoe.](https://planetchristmas.com/throughout-the-holiday-season-under-which-type-of-plant-are-people-supposed-to-kiss-mistletoe/) - [When was the first Christmas tree lit up in the Rockefeller Center? 1933](https://planetchristmas.com/when-was-the-first-christmas-tree-lit-up-in-the-rockefeller-center-1933/) - [What is mulled wine made from? Red wine, sugar, and spices.](https://planetchristmas.com/what-is-mulled-wine-made-from-red-wine-sugar-and-spices/) - [Which alcoholic ingredient is used in a Snowball cocktail? Advocaat.](https://planetchristmas.com/which-alcoholic-ingredient-is-used-in-a-snowball-cocktail-advocaat/) - [Which drinks manufacturer is said to have popularized Santa’s red and white costume? Coca-Cola.](https://planetchristmas.com/which-drinks-manufacturer-is-said-to-have-popularized-santas-red-and-white-costume-coca-cola/) - [Which alcohol is usually added to the base of Christmas trifles? Sherry.](https://planetchristmas.com/which-alcohol-is-usually-added-to-the-base-of-christmas-trifles-sherry/) - [Which fairy tale served as an inspiration for the first gingerbread houses? Hansel and Gretel](https://planetchristmas.com/which-fairy-tale-served-as-an-inspiration-for-the-first-gingerbread-houses-hansel-and-gretel/) - [Where can people eat a “Wigilia supper” at Christmas? Poland.](https://planetchristmas.com/where-can-people-eat-a-wigilia-supper-at-christmas-poland/) - [What famous Christmas carol became the first song ever broadcast from space? “Jingle Bells”](https://planetchristmas.com/what-famous-christmas-carol-became-the-first-song-ever-broadcast-from-space-jingle-bells/) - [In the song “Last Christmas”, who does the singer give their heart to? Someone special.](https://planetchristmas.com/in-the-song-last-christmas-who-does-the-singer-give-their-heart-to-someone-special/) - [What was the original title for “The Little Drummer Boy”? “Carol of the Drum”](https://planetchristmas.com/what-was-the-original-title-for-the-little-drummer-boy-carol-of-the-drum/) - [Who wrote the popular Christmas song “Frosty The Snowman”? Walter Rollins and Steve Nelson.](https://planetchristmas.com/who-wrote-the-popular-christmas-song-frosty-the-snowman-walter-rollins-and-steve-nelson/) - [In total, how many gifts were given in “The Twelve Days of Christmas”? 364](https://planetchristmas.com/in-total-how-many-gifts-were-given-in-the-twelve-days-of-christmas-364/) - [Before PlanetChristmas](https://planetchristmas.com/before-planetchristmas/): It was 1960. I was six years old. John F. Kennedy was in the White House and the country was experiencing Camelot, we just didn’t know it at the time. Then I saw them in the Sunday advertisement for the Rexall Drug Store about a mile from the house where we lived in Richardson, Texas. They had a set of 15 outdoor Christmas lights for $3.99. I had to have them! Two of my cousins lived in Garland, in a huge house that was always lined in Christmas lights. They would always get incredible Christmas presents from Santa and I … - [The rumor mill ends another year](https://planetchristmas.com/the-rumor-mill-ends-another-year/): What’s the big decorating trend this year? I really hope it’s not those dress manikins shaped like Christmas trees. Creepy. Pretty sure these mani-trees will end up in the attic next year, hiding in the corner and scaring any bats that stray too close. Ranks right up there with black Christmas trees. Who comes up with these crazy ideas??? How about those laser Christmas lights that seemed to be everywhere last year? Point one at your house and have thousands of little red and green dots floating around. We had one here at the North Pole and I’ll admit it … - [That house on Christmas Street tour continues](https://planetchristmas.com/that-house-on-christmas-street-tour-continues/): Many of you PlanetChristmas folks know the story of how my little song, “The House on Christmas Street,” was discovered by a decorator online in 2006 and quickly caught on. Well, in 2010 I got the idea that it would be fun to go around the United States and visit some of the many decorators who “put me on the map” by using my music in their displays. I thought a tour would be fun where I would show up and do a concert on the decorator’s lawn or in their street or driveway with their display as the backdrop, … - [Another Top 10 Christmas tunes list](https://planetchristmas.com/another-top-10-christmas-tunes-list/): At PlanetChristmas we get to see a lot of Christmas displays. We also talk to music producers, programmers and radio DJs about what they think will be hot come Chrtistmas time. This is tough because people love the old traditional tunes when it comes to Christmas but we’re going to give it our best shot. Here’s the official PlanetChristmas top 10 list of the most popular tunes people will use to create over-the-top Christmas shows in 2017. 1. A Holly Jolly Christmas by Michael Buble’ 2. Wizards in Winter by Trans-Siberian Orchestra 3. Santa Tell Me by Ariana Grande 4. … - [Rumor mill rumblings](https://planetchristmas.com/rumor-mill-rumblings/): The workshop has been buzzing about all that recent presidential excitement in the USA. We’ve never had an election here at the North Pole. Santa has been in charge from the beginning and no one has complained. He must be doing something right. All other countries of the world should take note. Remember Geek My Tree (www.geekmytree.com)? They’ve been to several Christmas Expos. Brad and his father created a great product that let you light your tree in just a few minutes with the latest RGB smart pixel technology. They appeared on ABC’s TV show called Shark Tank and got … - [Cold Weather Decorating](https://planetchristmas.com/cold-weather-decorating/): The holiday season always has great television shows like Crazy Christmas lights, Christmas Gone Wild, The Great Christmas Light Fight… all help to reinforce to our friends and family that we’re not the only ones to have a hobby that borders on obsession. Reflecting on Christmas and the hours spent outside assembling, testing and managing my display, I came to realize that geographic location on our planet brings unique changes. Whenever I’m surfing the web or watching those shows looking for ideas I am often jealous to see others working on their displays in the sunshine and wearing t-shirts. My … - [Top 10 music list for this upcoming holiday season](https://planetchristmas.com/top-10-music-list-for-this-upcoming-holiday-season/): At PlanetChristmas we get to see a lot of Christmas light displays and in our Spring 2015 issue we figured out the most popular tunes for 2014. 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 liked Trans-Siberian Orchestra and the theme song from Disney’s movie Frozen in 2014. Now that we’re so smart we talked to more music producers about what they thought would be hot for 2016. This is tough because … - [Cutouts the easy way](https://planetchristmas.com/cutouts-the-easy-way/): Ever wondered what goes into creating the wonderful Christmas decorations known as cutouts? Probably not, but you’re still reading… so I’ll go ahead and tell you. Imagination, time, materials and a small amount of talent. You read that correctly. You don’t have to be a great artist to create eye catching cutout characters for your lawn’s Christmas display. Remember when you were a kid and loved using Crayons to create those beautifully colored pages? That’s all the artistic ability it takes to create a cutout. If you can color within the lines, you can probably create a cutout masterpiece! What … - [Rumor mill rumors](https://planetchristmas.com/rumor-mill-rumors-2/): Friday night we cranked up the satellite dish and caught the opening episode for Gold Rush on the Discovery channel. Vast landscapes of pristine snow. All us elves got a bit misty eyed because it so looked like home here at the North Pole. Unfortunately, Santa hasn’t let us outside for over a month because toy demands are through the roof this year. We’re not complaining, at least not too much. Busy elves are elves staying out of trouble. The more toys we build means the more smiles there will be on faces come Christmas day. Remember Big Mouth Billy … - [Top 10 Christmas Spirit definitions](https://planetchristmas.com/top-10-christmas-spirit-definitions/): It’s a little too easy to get caught up in all the Christmas hype this time of year. If you were from another galaxy and landed here in the middle of December you would conclude Earthlings do nothing but buy stuff in great quantity while bragging they all have the spirit of Christmas. So exactly what is this Christmas thing? In the PlanetChristmas Forums there’s been a slow burning thread trying to define the Christmas experience and Christmas spirit. Let’s just say a lot of deep thought is happening. For this edition of the magazine we thought we could summarize … - [Our forecast for the Top 10 music tunes](https://planetchristmas.com/our-forecast-for-the-top-10-music-tunes/): At PlanetChristmas we get to see a lot of Christmas light displays and in our Spring 2015 issue we figured out the most popular tunes for 2014. 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 liked Trans-Siberian Orchestra and the theme song from Disney’s movie Frozen in 2014. Now that we’re so smart we talked to more music producers about what they thought would be hot for 2015. This is tough because … - [Music Licensing](https://planetchristmas.com/music-licensing/): Let’s chat about music for a moment. Music and Christmas go hand-in-hand just about as much as eggnog and rum go in mug-and-glass. A growing number of Christmas decorators (both commercial and noncommercial) are enhancing their displays with music, either in the form of pleasant background atmosphere or a dazzling synchronized light show. In fact, many of our companies are built on the very idea of synchronizing stellar lighting choreography (sequences) to music. Music brings with it a deep sense of tradition, emotion, and legal confusion. What? Yes, PlanetChristmas forum members have spent years debating the question of music licensing, … - [More indoor decorating](https://planetchristmas.com/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 … - [More from the rumor mill](https://planetchristmas.com/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 … - [Top 10 Christmas show tunes](https://planetchristmas.com/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 … - [Halloween versus Christmas](https://planetchristmas.com/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 … - [Sleigh Time](https://planetchristmas.com/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 … - [Blowmold renewal](https://planetchristmas.com/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 … - [Being on national TV](https://planetchristmas.com/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 … - [Indoor decorating twists](https://planetchristmas.com/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 … - [Made in the USA?](https://planetchristmas.com/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 … - [The rumor mill never stops](https://planetchristmas.com/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 … - [The Changing Light of Christmas Future](https://planetchristmas.com/the-changing-light-of-christmas-future/): Christmas decorating is something that we all enjoy doing. Well, most of us enjoy it at some point or another. The long hours, the tedious time sequencing, setting up the display, fixing lights that stop working… Okay, somewhere in there is the enjoyment. After all, it’s why we do it right? But lately, there is has been a large change in lighting and it needs to be addressed. This is the pixel and RGB lighting. What are Pixels and RGB? Pixels and RGB lighting are something that really aren’t new but is to the decorating community. With these lights, I … - [Creating the ultimate Christmas display](https://planetchristmas.com/creating-the-ultimate-christmas-display/): PlanetChristmas Magazine has featured in the past, “Over the Top” displays, all of which, I have admired. There have been articles written for newbie’s and getting them pointed in the right direction, topics on planning, and executing a display, and even discussions on various display elements. However, one concept has not been talked about directly, what truly makes a display something magical, special or unique. What is it that creates a buzz about what you do? What gets everyone talking about YOUR display? What puts your display on the “Bucket List of Christmas Celebrations?” I refer to this as the … - [Blowmolds are back!](https://planetchristmas.com/blowmolds-are-back/): The blow mold industry is starting to return and the interest in the inflatable market is going the way the blow molds did in the early 90’s. Quality of the new inflatables is declining and materials are getting thinner and cheaper. Blow mold production is coming back with the return of Union Cado and the returned interest from Prime Plastics. Collectors are finding that blow molds are cheaper to buy, last longer and a joy to trade with friends. I acquired my interested in blow molds in the mid 1960’s as I was growing up and would travel around with … - [10 ways to get into the Christmas business](https://planetchristmas.com/10-ways-to-get-into-the-christmas-business/): This is the time of year when some of us start thinking about how we can make money getting into the Christmas business. It’s got to be easy, right? Christmas expenditures are over $465,000,000,000 (that’s 465 Billion dollars) per year according to market studies. It includes decorations, gifts, food, and about anything Christmas related you can think of. No matter how you look at Christmas, there’s a huge amount of money being spent. Rather than spending money during the holidays, it might make sense to consider taking advantage of the season and making money. The good news is there are … - [Holiday birdhouse](https://planetchristmas.com/holiday-birdhouse/): Need we say more? Just in case: at Gardendecoraccents.com you will find an enchanting selection of garden fountains, garden statues, solar powered garden accents, hammocks, garden gnomes, picnic backpacks, birdhouses, garden lanterns, home accents, nautical decor, plus much more! This article was included in the September 2014 issue of PlanetChristmas Magazine. By Jennifer Stevens - [Indoor decorating... differently](https://planetchristmas.com/indoor-decorating-differently/): Animals Galore Animals are an integral part of our lives. They are pets, some people raise them, and most of the world relies on them for nourishment. We added some amazing animal pieces to our collection of polyresins to commemorate their importance. With several county, 4-H, and state fairs happening during the summer months, our new cow bench and pig chair could be a fantastic addition to your booth if you are a vendor. They would also make great gifts for 4-H participants who spend hours and hours raising, grooming, and proudly showing their animals! Our cow bench, standing (well, … - [Not the rumor mill again?](https://planetchristmas.com/not-the-rumor-mill-again/): All this time us elves thought we were watching Mother Nature’s Northern Lights up in the sky but we’re no longer so sure. My shift is still talking about those over-the-top Christmas displays seen on some TV show called ‘Great American Light Fight’ last Christmas. I’m thinking our December based Northern Lights are really the glow from some of those houses. Good job, decorators! The big man in red gave us a Spring Break this year. Most elves headed south in search of warm weather beaches. Not me. I wound up on some enormous cruise ship floating around the Caribbean. … - [Indoor decorating with a flair](https://planetchristmas.com/indoor-decorating-with-a-flair/): DIY Room Transformations We get tons of questions from our customers when they are preparing to order. From how many lights to put on their Christmas tree to which ornament color combinations are best for their room, via email and phone, customers know we are here to help. The most common question, however, is, “How do I use some of these wonderful products year-round?” We have some answers for that one as well! Small decorative touches can transform any room. To help redefine your room, you’ll need a mason jar, some string lights, a hot glue gun, and some gem … - [I was on ABC's Great Christmas Light Fight](https://planetchristmas.com/i-was-on-abcs-great-christmas-light-fight/): Now that everything is put away, the dust has settled, and the check is cashed, I thought I’d take a few minutes to share our experience with the ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight, in hopes that those of you who may be sitting on the fence about applying will take the leap and participate in Season 2. Our family and our display, “Christmas in the Grove” were the winners of Episode 4. When It All Started We were contacted in Dec 2012 by a production company that was putting the show together. I guess someone scoured the light finder … - [Build a pixel tree](https://planetchristmas.com/build-a-pixel-tree/): If you haven’t figured it out yet, all the articles in this issue of PlanetChristmas Magazine have been leading us to building our own pixel based megatree. We’ll readily admit it’s not as easy as it needs to be, but the results are so worth it. Just look at the cover of our magazine and imagine the light patterns in a fluid movement. Our goal is to build a tree that’s two meters tall (a little over six feet), have 12 vertical legs and each leg will use 60 pixels/meter pixel ribbons. With the help of a calculator we figured … - [Talking to the pixels](https://planetchristmas.com/talking-to-the-pixels/): OMG This has geekfest written all over it. The PlanetChristmas Magazine staff was told to build a pixel tree. As the whiteboard filled up with things to figure out, one item was circled in red and my name was written next to it: How do we control the pixels? I was told to become an expert in pixel communication. That’s when Chuck Smith edged into the room, read the to-do list and said “keep the geekiness to an absolute minimum when writing about it. My mother is going to build one of these things.” Easy for him to say as … - [Pixel ribbons](https://planetchristmas.com/pixel-ribbons/): We were sitting around the conference table when Chuck (as in The Mr. Smith) said we’re building pixel trees for the next edition of the magazine. What’s a pixel tree? Think along the lines of a megatree, but every light is controllable. As Mr. Smith likes to say: any light, any color, any time. These are the trees that have moving patterns on them, can scroll pictures or text and truly wow your audience. Light-O-Rama came out with something called the Cosmic Color Ribbon in 2009. The ribbon had 150 RGB based LEDs evenly spread across a five meter (16.4 … - [5 Volts vs. 12 Volts and Power Injection](https://planetchristmas.com/5-volts-vs-12-volts-and-power-injection/): When our esteemed publisher (Chuck Smith) gave us the task of building a pixel tree, I thought it would be easy because I could build a megatree in no time at all. Get 16 sets of 100 bulb mini-light strings, hang them from a pole, plug them in and you’re done. If I wanted that megatree to dance to the music, I’d plug each string into a channel of a light controller and the WOW would happen. Mr. Smith hinted a pixel tree might be a bit more complicated. Every light had to be controllable (I got to hear the … - [Geek my tree](https://planetchristmas.com/geek-my-tree/): An interesting thing happened this past Christmas. After retiring my show I got bored and needed to find something to do. I decided to decorate my 12’ Christmas tree with 850 RGB pixels and programed it with several patterns. For the fun of it, I posted it to my Facebook page and the response was huge. People started sharing it, and I started getting lots of questions about how I did it. It was then I realized the challenge of explaining RGB and DMX to people who knew nothing about it. It also became apparent that people wanted to venture … - [Revolution Evolution](https://planetchristmas.com/revolution-evolution/): We all remember the time when we saw the light display that got us hooked. 35 years ago my parents took their eight year old to a nearby suburb where nearly all the houses were decorated with lights. The display that grabbed my attention had its lights being electronically coordinated and controlled. To the best of my memory it was only about eight channels of lighting control, but back in the late 1970s this was virtually unseen and I was amazed at the patterns that could be created. It burnt a memory in my mind that still stays with me … - [The Rumor Mill has found more... rumors.](https://planetchristmas.com/the-rumor-mill-has-found-more-rumors/): Santa gave all the elves the afternoon off in early November so I wandered down to the well heated North Pole Galleria to grab a couple of slices of supreme pizza at Sbarro since I’m trying to watch my weight. The place was already decorated for Christmas and right there in center court was Santa sitting on a throne and talking to kids. I had always wondered why he suddenly became so hard to find the last two months of the year. I assumed he was working on delivery logistics for all those presents he had to distribute really early … - [Twas the night before Christmas, a visit from St. Nicholas](https://planetchristmas.com/twas-the-night-before-christmas/): ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I … - [Rethinking decorations](https://planetchristmas.com/rethinking-decorations/): So you are minding your own business, shopping in a store, any store, when you spot something that kicks your creative juices into high gear. You start visualizing the next addition to your Christmas display. You buy as many of the items as you can possibly lay your hands on and begin to incorporate it into the next display that will make you proud you ever learned how to plug in a string of lights. Your idea is a success and you have gained the adoration of Christmas light display admirers for the next 365 days. The next year you … - [Top 10 ideas](https://planetchristmas.com/top-10-ideas/): Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced decorator, it’s a lot of work to get geared up to start the display setup process. The purpose of this article is to help make that process go a little bit smoother and improve your processes just a little bit. I have learned from the best and brightest at the PlanetChristmas forums and have used that knowledge base to come up with lots of great ideas that help us design, build, setup and tear down our display the most efficiently way possible. At our Belardo Lights display in San Diego, we like to … - [Rumor mill ruminations](https://planetchristmas.com/rumor-mill-ruminations/): What an interesting summer with the war of the Christmas shows, each on the same weekend of July in Conroe, Texas and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. This elf made it to both and in some ways they were similar. Hot. I mean as in outside temperature. Both shows had a pretty good vendor hall and lots of Christmas fanatics but that’s where the similarities ended. The Texas show seemed aimed at the hardcore, techie kind of decorator. Very impressive classes with several geared for the Halloween haunter. I knew I was in trouble when this handsome elf was mistaken for an ugly … - [Green Christmas Book](https://planetchristmas.com/green-christmas-book/): People all around the world are celebrating Christmas in a more environmentally friendly way. Celebrating a Green Christmas will not only help save the environment, it will also save you money. This ebook gives you 50 ways to celebrate a more eco-friendly (and wallet friendly!) Why Celebrate a Green Christmas? While we gather with loved ones to celebrate the birth of Christ, we also need to celebrate Creation and our role as stewards of the Earth. God created us as part of nature and gave us the responsibility of caring for all of God’s Creation. Genesis chapter 1 verse 26 … - [Sub Text Santa](https://planetchristmas.com/sub-text-santa/): With the star-studded Black Nativity (2013) and Tyler Perry directorial A Madea Christmas (2013) slated for cinema release later this year, it is clear that movie studios are still keen to seize the potential of Christmas custom. There’s even a re-emerging rumour that a remake of Christmas in Connecticut (1945) might be on the cards; with Jennifer Garner in the starring role. But, what is the real ethos of the Christmas movie and how does it relate to the original message of Christmas? In the fourth century, the pagan festival of the Winter Solstice was claimed by Christians as the … - [Animatronic Figures](https://planetchristmas.com/animatronic-figures/): It was many years ago, but I can still remember our yearly Christmas journey from Northwest Indiana to downtown Chicago. Our plan was to visit the windows at the Marshall Fields department store; it was a yearly highlight! I was excited to see what amazing things were waiting for us at the ultimate Christmas destination! Inside and out, the store was a child’s fantasy of sights and sounds. Each window was part of a scene in a contiguous story. Elaborate animated characters performed on their own individual stages. There was so much to look at, so much to take in, … - [Put a mega-tree on the roof](https://planetchristmas.com/put-a-mega-tree-on-the-roof/): It all started a couple of years ago when we needed to find a suitable house to help care for an aging relative. All my previous hard work building and sequencing a customized display for our old house was going down the drain. The old house had tons of shrubs and provided a natural setting for lots of lights. Not so with the new house. Not a single shrub anywhere. My creativity languished for 2011 and all I did was put a 16’ inflatable Santa on the carport roof. It was a good location where the south end of our … - [RGB as simple as 1, 2, 3](https://planetchristmas.com/rgb-as-simple-as-1-2-3/): There’s a technology heading for the decorative lighting world that has the potential to be a very disruptive force. Just as we try to get our heads around basic LEDs to displace incandescents, now we’re being asked to use something called RGB based lighting, meaning the lights can be told to change to any color of the rainbow. Good gosh. Can someone slow down so the rest of us normal people can catch up? LEDs are here to stay By now you probably already know the advantages of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). They only consume 10-20% of the power of … - [The Rumor Mill keeps grinding it out](https://planetchristmas.com/the-rumor-mill-keeps-grinding-it-out/): Santa gave us Labor Day off with one little caveat. We had to promise to return the next day ready to work around the clock until December 24. Seems the world is in a growth spurt since the population recently crossed the seven billion mark. All I know is that’s a seven with way-too-many zeroes after it. I’m one of the older elves and it doesn’t seem that long ago when Santa was using the million word instead of billion. There’s a lot more of you on the face of the planet but still only us elves at the North … - [Lights Out](https://planetchristmas.com/lights-out/): Mike Babick would usually be out tinkering in his garage this time of year, cleaning off the animatronic elves and animals that light up Santa’s Workshop in his annual Christmas display. But this October, he’s refinishing some antiques out back instead. And he doesn’t have any plans to work on his Christmas display. Any plans at all. “It’s really looking like there won’t be Christmas here this year,” he said. “It’s sad. It’s really sad. But that’s the way it’s looking.” Indeed, the way Babick sees it, there just isn’t a viable option for putting up the nationally known display … - [Pearl](https://planetchristmas.com/pearl/): Christmas in the Beason house was always a big occasion when I was growing up. My mom, Pearl, loved the holidays. She would sing carols, decorate the house and buy way too many presents for our little home. You had to walk a path between the boxes just to sit on the couch! My mom instilled the love of Christmas in me as a young child in a really big way. After I grew up I started decorating my own home and have been doing so for 28 years. To the average person, I decorate to the extreme. This year … - [Inflatables!](https://planetchristmas.com/inflatables/): So you want to make more of an impression with the neighbors, as if 10,000+ lights dancing to music controlled by your computer isn’t enough. Consider adding inflatables to your display. Some of us have played with them, even made them a minor part of our yard but a few of us have embraced these as a centerpiece of what we do during the holiday season. What can you say about a 12 foot Santa? Neat! A 20 foot Frosty? Cool! Your visitors will be thrilled. Inflatables can be used to accent a display or take it over the top. … - [The Christmas Pony](https://planetchristmas.com/the-christmas-pony/): Emily desperately wanted the pony. It was all she wanted, really, ever since her family moved out in the country to the big house where she had her own room and could see all the way up the lane to where the pony was. The neighbors had a big farm with a bright white fence all around and a big red barn. Emily first saw the pony standing by the fence in the neighbor’s yard when they were driving up to the new house with the last load of items from their old apartment in the city. There were many … - [Christmas Expo 2013](https://planetchristmas.com/christmas-expo-2013/): As the new owners of the Christmas Expo, Joyce Perhac with ProShow, Inc. and Janice Blasko from The Abbey Group couldn’t be more excited to express their love of the holiday through this event. They are sisters, who each own their own separate businesses and have collaborated over the past 20 years on projects and events that reflect their passions and are close to their hearts. Joyce is the owner of ProShow, Inc., a meeting and event planning company based in Pittsburgh, PA. She has over 25 years experience in planning events for non-profits, special interest groups and corporate businesses. … - [Music Review](https://planetchristmas.com/music-review/): If you hear some new holiday tunes blasting from Santa’s sleigh as he hits your rooftop this Christmas Eve, you have someone to thank. Christmas with Mrs. Claus is a magical holiday music collaboration between Mrs. Claus and Grammy® Nominated family music artist Judy Pancoast. This is truly a match made at the North Pole. Mrs. Claus steps out from the shadow of the big man in red to choose some of her seasonal favorites, old and new. Although Mrs. Claus is content to leave the vocals to Judy, she pops in and out throughout the CD, introducing songs, sharing … - [A 'Lure' of Lights](https://planetchristmas.com/a-lure-of-lights/): Two years ago, downtown Hayward, Wisconsin was anything but exciting during the holiday season. Main Street was lifeless and the merchants were complaining because no one was shopping. You could find a few Christmas decorations but people didn’t seem to care. There just wasn’t much Christmas spirit in Hayward. Local merchants Jan Beatty and Barb Hand sensed a problem. They were walking down Main Street and knew something needed to be done to liven up their community. Their challenge was they had absolutely no idea what to do or where to turn. Then it happened. Someone emailed Barb a video … - [The Rumor Mill is working overtime](https://planetchristmas.com/the-rumor-mill-is-working-overtime/): The big man in red gave us a night off. We aimed the satellite dish toward Europe and the TV picked up the grand concert in front of Buckingham Palace celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Wow. The Brits sure know how to have a good time. Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Tom Jones, Paul McCartney and plenty of others were on stage and singing the oldies-but-goodies. We were mesmerized by the lights and pyrotechnics on the stage. Every now and then they would show the front of the palace that had become a giant movie screen. Pretty amazing watching the palace … ## Pages - [Vendors](https://planetchristmas.com/vendors/): PlanetChristmas doesn’t endorse vendors but we do try to keep up with some that can help your decorating style. If you know of a good link for this page, please email vendors@PlanetChristmas.com Animatronics: Blowmolds:  Blow-Molded, Christmas Night, Seasons LA Carnival Lighting: Action Lighting Cheap Lights:  Action Lighting, All Things Christmas and More, Christmas Designers, Inc., Christmas Lights, Etc., Creative Displays, LED Holiday Lighting, Mosca Design, Orman Inc. Christmas Businesses (start your own):  Creative Decorating Christmas Gift Ideas: Commercial Christmas Lights and Equipment: Action Lighting, All American Christmas Company, All Things Christmas and More, American Lighting, Animated Lighting, Bronners, Christmas Lights, Etc., Christmas Designers, Inc., Christmastime-UK, Creative Displays, Downtown Christmas, GP Designs, Holiday Designs, Holiday Lights and Magic, LED Holiday Lighting, LiteSource, … - [Account](https://planetchristmas.com/account/): This is the UM account page [ultimatemember_account] - [Embed Link](https://planetchristmas.com/embed-link/) - [Inspirational videos from just a few years ago](https://planetchristmas.com/old-videos-from-2018/): Looking for inspiration?  Light-O-Rama has a bunch of contest videos from years back.  See below. - [Old Videos from 2016](https://planetchristmas.com/old-videos-from-2016/): Looking for inspiration?  Light-O-Rama has a bunch of contest videos from years back.  See below. - [Old Videos from 2017](https://planetchristmas.com/old-videos-from-2017/): Looking for inspiration?  Light-O-Rama has a bunch of contest videos from years back.  See below. - [Contact Us](https://planetchristmas.com/contact-us/): PlanetChristmas is a real entity located in Franklin, Tennessee, USA. Call us on our landline at 615-538-7239. Or you can always email us at support@planetchristmas.com. Ever wonder what drives PlanetChristmas?  It’s easy and everything is based on three fundamental rules: We’re Positive Family Friendly Christmas-centric - [Old Videos from 2015](https://planetchristmas.com/old-videos-2015/): Looking for inspiration?  Light-O-Rama has a bunch of contest videos from years back.  See below. - [My account](https://planetchristmas.com/my-account/) - [Checkout](https://planetchristmas.com/checkout/) - [Cart](https://planetchristmas.com/cart/) - [Shop](https://planetchristmas.com/shop/) - [Activity](https://planetchristmas.com/activity/) - [Home](https://planetchristmas.com/) - [Privacy Policy](https://planetchristmas.com/privacy-policy/): ONLINE PRIVACY POLICY AGREEMENT January 1, 1997 PlanetChristmas (PlanetChristmas) values its users’ privacy. This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) will help you understand how we collect and use personal information from those who visit our website or make use of our online facilities and services, and what we will and will not do with the information we collect. Our Policy has been designed and created to ensure those affiliated with PlanetChristmas of our commitment and realization of our obligation not only to meet, but to exceed, most existing privacy standards. We reserve the right to make changes to this Policy at any … - [Sample Page](https://planetchristmas.com/sample-page/): This is an example page. It’s different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this: Hi there! I’m a bike messenger by day, aspiring actor by night, and this is my website. I live in Los Angeles, have a great dog named Jack, and I like piña coladas. (And gettin’ caught in the rain.) …or something like this: The XYZ Doohickey Company was founded in 1971, … [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)