// Williams Christmas Lights

Updates

November 16th, 2023

It’s 2023, and I realize that I’ve let updating this site fall to the wayside.  With social media being super easy to update, and notifications being pushed to everyone immediately, the focus of a website like this needs to change slightly. I’m still sorting how I’d like to do that, but for now, feel free to follow us on Facebook or Instagram:

https://www.facebook.com/williamscmas

https://instagram.com/williams_christmas_lights

Back to working on the display, hope to kick it off the day after Thanksgiving.

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

An Epiphany

December 19th, 2021

For the last five or six years, I have organized a Christmas card swap for a group of Christmas light hobbyists of which I am a part. Just like many of the tasks of the season, setting up the swap had become just another thing to check off the list. It meant finding some okay cards to buy, addressing and signing them, as many as 55 cards in a year. The basics of the swap are that every participant receives ten people to send cards to. Some people ask for more than ten, up to the whole list. I also send cards to everyone on the list, feeling obliged to do so, since I had put it all together.

This year it started out the same way, even to the extent that I had asked my wife to pick up some cards for me while she was out. I let the days get away from me and finally realized that I needed to get the cards done if they were going to be delivered before Christmas. I sat down and opened the cards, just to realize that though they were Christmas themed on the front, they were blank inside. This was going to require more time. I realized that I had gotten into the habit of assembly lining through the cards and envelopes to the point where there wasn’t any thought or emotional effort put into them. In past years, I have even printed the envelopes to save time.

As I started to sign the first card, I realized that I could put a little thought into this, and write something more than ‘Merry Christmas!’ I paused to look at my list of names. A few of the people on it, I have met in person. Many I have engaged with online to varying degrees over the years. A few I know nothing about, other than that they like Christmas lighting enough to join our forum. I began to reflect on the past year, with its struggles, division and disease, and realized that some encouragement and legitimate well-wishing were in order.

I began to write out the first card, encouraging its recipient to focus on the true joy of the Christmas season and to allow that joy to carry with them into the new year. As I continued, the writing came more quickly. Wishes focused on comfort, joy and peace flowed more easily as I progressed through the pile of cards. I laughed at one point, thinking that I may have missed my calling as a greeting card author.

I realized while writing the cards that the sentiment I was pouring into them was heartfelt. I had an epiphany that, as I was writing out the cards to encourage my friends, I was being encouraged and reminded that I needed to slow down and enjoy the season myself. Time continues to fly by, and it’s easy to go into autopilot, especially during this hectic season.

My wish for you is that you can slow down this season, find comfort in tradition, joy in discovery, and hope for the future, as you take the time to celebrate the meaning of Christmas.

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

2018 Wrap up

January 11th, 2019

The 2018 season started a little late for us. An early Thanksgiving, coupled with a couple rain delays put us behind right off the bat. Once the show was going, though, it ran like a champ, even with us being out of town for 10 days. The new pixel candy canes (large and small), all performed flawlessly, and the squirrels pretty much left everything alone. Along the way, we managed to collect a couple nice prizes- We took 2nd in Jolt Lighting’s first area display competition, a prize that included their show controller and an LOR controller. We also won a handful of Plaza gift cards when the Plaza Lights Social Media Team chose our display as their favorite from the ones submitted. Donations for KRCM were steady, and we ended up just shy of $500 collected. We’ll pad that out a little and drop it off next week.

All in all, another successful season. Stay tuned for next year- we already have big plans for a larger display with new items, as well as some new music for our 10th anniversary of the animated lights.

Thank you for your support
-B

Posted in Uncategorized  |  1 Comment »

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

December 2nd, 2018

I can attest.  The good news is that the show is up and going.  Had to track down a communication issue and replace a couple hundred pixels that didn’t play well with rain, but the blinky-flashy has returned.

Posted in Uncategorized  |  2 Comments »

No Lights Tonight

December 2nd, 2018

There will be no lights tonight. We had some water issues, and I have a controller that has stopped responding.  Hope to be all back up tomorrow, 12/3

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

Finally! Lights are Live!

November 25th, 2018

Well, after numerous small struggles and a full day of modifying sequences today, it’s all up and running! If you’re out an about come by! If you’re not- stay home! The lights will run through January.

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

Running behind

November 22nd, 2018

With Thanksgiving being early, and me running late, the lights with be delayed a couple days. Look for them to start this Saturday night!

Posted in Uncategorized  |  1 Comment »

KCRM Thanksgiving 2018

October 3rd, 2018

Most of you that know me, or follow these posts online, know that we collect funds for Kansas City Rescue Mission during the light display. Those that have poked around the website may have noticed that we leave the donation links up all year, since their needs are more than just during the Christmas season. I’d like to point out that KCRM has started their annual Thanksgiving fund drive. I know it seems early, but they prepare over 4000 meals during Thanksgiving, both for folks onsite and for many who are not able to get out.

Your donations at this time can be directed to the Thanksgiving efforts specifically. You can donate safely online at the KCRM Thanksgiving-specific donation page by clicking below, and you could even note in the comments that you linked in from our display.

donate-button_over

KCRM’s Thanksgiving newsletter is posted below, with more info and details for in-person food drop-offs, if you would prefer to help out that way.

-B

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

Dusting off the New Post button…

November 28th, 2017

I know I have been absent from the blog this year, but I’ll attempt to stay up on it through the Christmas Season. For today, I am just announcing that I had to change the broadcast frequency for the show from 101.7 FM to 99.9 FM. There is a new sports talk station on 101.7 now, so I could face a hefty fine for stepping on their frequency, and I’d like to avoid that, so the change has been made.

-B

Posted in Uncategorized  |  1 Comment »

The Donations Have Been Dropped Off!

January 26th, 2017

I was (finally) able to get downtown to KCRM this morning and drop off the donations from the light show this year. We padded it just a touch to make it an even $800. This is our largest donation total yet! I met with Julie, my primary contact at the mission, and she introduced me to a few other people, including KCRM Director Rev. Joe Colaizzi. It’s funny how you can feel like you know someone by reading articles that they have written, and meeting him in person confirmed that he was the warm, gentle but firm person I thought him to be from his writing. Julie even provided me with a gift- a KCRM zippered hoodie! Pretty neat. Every time I visit, I am more convinced that I want to keep helping this great group of people.

Thank you to everyone who chipped in, and please rest assured that your donations will be put to good use.

For those of you who would like more information, please visit KCRM.org

If you would like to make a gift, you can do it directly through their gift page HERE.

While Christmas may be over, it is still cold and people still need the services that KCRM provides. Don’t hesitate to help those who need it most.

-B

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

And that’s it…

January 8th, 2017

It was a good run this year, but the time has come to shut them down for the season. Short of some filming time this week, that’s a wrap. The show ran almost flawlessly, feedback was positive, and we collected nearly $800 for KCRM-our highest total yet.

Thanks again for all the support.

 

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

Winding Down for 2016-17

January 7th, 2017


This is the last weekend this season for those of you who would like to see the lights again (or for the first time). We are running the show from 5:25pm until 9:45pm, tonight and tomorrow night. It’s supposed to warm up some this coming week, so we’ll begin disassembly directly 🙂

Thank you to all of you who have visited this season, and especially to those who donated funds for KCRM. We have new things in the works already for next year, and look forward to next season.

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

Thank you…

January 4th, 2017

…on a few different fronts:

-Thank you for voting us into the top three in Shawnee’s Facebook Christmas light competition! Julie from the City of Shawnee stopped by tonight and dropped off a bag of Shawnee swag. Yes, I said swag. Shirts, mugs, stickers, and the like. Fun.

-Thank you for making this our largest donation year yet. We are still running for a few more days, but are at around $750 collected for KCRM. Well done!

-Thank you for the notes and nice comments this year. It’s always nice to be appreciated for the work that goes into the display.

If you haven’t made it by, you have a few more nights. I usually run through Jan 6th, but since that is a Friday this year, I will continue through this coming weekend. Hours are 5:25 – 9:30 nightly.

Posted in Uncategorized  |  1 Comment »

One more chance to Vote!

December 29th, 2016

Shawnee’s Facebook Christmas Light competition ends tonight! If you haven’t voted for us yet, please do so! If you want to vote for someone else, please don’t! 🙂

Just click this link and like the photo of our display!

VOTE HERE!

Thank you!

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

Lost Charm?

December 26th, 2016

I found a well-loved charm in our donation box last night. I don’t believe it to have any monetary value, but someone has had it for some time. If it is yours, please feel free to come by and claim it:

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

Home Stretch!

December 20th, 2016

Only a few more days until Christmas! It’s hard to believe, and each year the season seems to pass with increasing speed. Traffic this year has been a little lighter than in years past, but I hope that this week will make up for it 🙂

We will be out on the drive handing out candy canes tonight, so gather your crew and come by! Lights run from 5:15 until about 10:30. We would love to say hi! Tune into 101.7FM as you near the display. If you can, bring by a cash donation for Kansas City Rescue Mission. Every little bit helps, and all proceeds go directly to them. We have collected about half of the total we donated last year, so let’s make it happen for some folks who do a great work serving those who need help in our communities.

Hope to see you here!

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

Mystery Videographer

November 30th, 2016

camera

I happened to glance outside while the lights were running, and noticed a person out front taking video of the lights. They were set up with a tripod and everything. Unfortunately, I had prior obligations to prepare for, and was unable to go out and say ‘hi.’ If the person who was taking video sees this, could you drop me a note? I would be interested in having copies of the raw footage, if possible, and would like to know where it was headed 🙂

Past that, show is running well. Come on out between 5:15 and 10:15 to listen along. Tune in to 101.7 FM when you arrive.

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

Up and Running

November 29th, 2016

The display is up and running. I will continue to tweak on it, but I’m satisfied enough to let everyone come see it 😀

Come by between 5:15 and 10:15 (for now, later hours nearer Christmas), and see the new LEDs and the new pixel display elements. We are once again collecting monetary donations for Kansas City Rescue Mission. If you have a pile of goods that meet their needs instead of cash, I would be willing to work with you to get them downtown, just drop me a note: http://williamschristmaslights.com/contact-us/

Let’s get this Christmas season rolling!

Posted in Uncategorized  |  1 Comment »

KCRM Connect

November 26th, 2016

KCRM has published the 2016 Holiday edition of their Connect newsletter. We managed to get a mention on page 2! You can browse the newsletter at kcrm.org/connect-newsletter/ or read it below:

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

Thanksgiving

November 23rd, 2016

It’s easy to skip past Thanksgiving in the holiday rush, but there’s many reasons to slow down and put some thought into this day. The history of the Holiday is interesting in and of itself, including not only the accounts of the ‘first Thanksgiving’ given by William Bradford, but also individual days of thanksgiving proclaimed by the Continental Congress and several of our early presidents. While many of the early proclamations of a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer followed national successes, I think it is worthy of note that some of the early ‘Thanksgivings’ were proclaimed not when things were rosy, but when there were trials and the outlook for the future seemed difficult at best. When Sam Adams penned the first national Day Of Thanksgiving in 1777, the British military was still occupying the US capital. When Abraham Lincoln officially declared an annual Thanksgiving Day in October of 1863, the nation was in the midst of a brutal civil war. One hundred years later, LBJ gave a brief Thanksgiving radio address as he began trying to help the nation move past the assassination of JFK six days earlier. Clearly, Thanksgiving Day hasn’t always come in the midst of great circumstances, but the important thing to note is that it was still celebrated. It may not have been celebrated with the Turkey and football that mark current observances, but it was celebrated nevertheless. It was celebrated with introspection, retrospection, observation, and prayers of thanks. It was celebrated with hope for better things yet to come. In view of these things, I challenge you to stop and make an evaluation, not only where you are, but where you want to be, and why. It’s pretty simple to say thanks for what you have when things are going well, but are you able to give thanks for your circumstances when things aren’t what you expect or want? I encourage you to skip the worn out cliche of ‘keeping up with the Joneses,’ and seek contentment and humility in your current situation.

If you are struggling with this, I would encourage you to go do something for someone else, whether through organized volunteering or through acts of kindness to those around you. The easiest way to remove your focus from yourself is focus on doing good for others. Visit the shut-in in your neighborhood. Take a fruit basket to your local police station. Call that long-lost relative. Get outside of yourself, and make someone else’s day while doing it.

If you’ve made it this far, thanks for hanging in. Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

It’s Almost Time…

November 23rd, 2016

Most of the display preparations are completed, and as usual it required a crazy of couple weeks to get it done. The show will kick off officially on Friday, November 25th. If you come by on Thanksgiving night you may see some lights, but only in bits and pieces as the final testing is completed.

Kansas City Rescue Mission has released a list of Christmas Gift possibilities for people who are staying at the Mission over the holidays. If you are looking for a way to reach out and help someone this year, here is a great way to do that, while keeping with the Christmas season and its traditions:

kcrm-gift

We’re excited to ‘get the show on the road’ and would love to have you come by!

-B

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

$2.07

October 26th, 2016

It’s that time of year again, where charities start popping out of the woodwork and asking for your consideration. With the increasing prevalence of GoFundMe pages, and constant social media bombardment from those who would have our money, it becomes easier and easier to just pull back and pocket what we have. Giving when pressured takes the joy out of it, and news reports of fake charities can make one overly cautious, even to the point of not giving to established groups with proven track records.

With all that being said, I would like to encourage you to find a charity that you can get behind during the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. Volunteering is a great way to help others without it affecting your pocketbook, and you can see first hand the results of your efforts. This can take the form of something as simple as nursing home visits or ringing a bell for the Salvation Army, or it can be as demanding as you choose, with programs available for mentoring, big brother / big sister arrangements, or meal delivery for shut-ins. Google your area for opportunities that suit you. Get your family involved, and make a difference while making memories. The moment when kids realize how badly some folks have it can be life changing.

For those of you who prefer to give from the pocketbook, there are a number of legitimate charities that make real differences in the lives of those who are hurting. For the past 3 years, we have partnered with Kansas City Rescue Mission (KCRM), collecting funds for them during our Christmas light display. KCRM has kicked off this year’s fund drive for their Thanksgiving programs, which will provide over 11,000 meals during the week of Thanksgiving. Many of these will be at their men’s and women’s facilities, while others will go to elderly and shut-in people. Gift baskets containing larger amounts of food will be given to hundreds of low-income families. The size and scope of the operation is impressive, and allows KCRM to provide these meals at a cost of $2.07 each. $27 provides meals for 13 people, and gives them a glimmer of hope during this season.

You can donate to the cause online by visiting KCRM.org and clicking the Donate link in the upper right corner, or by clicking HERE to go directly to the donations page. If you would rather give physical goods, they have an Immediate Needs list HERE. If you choose to purchase items on the list, I have found that the Dollar Store and similar retailers are a great place to stock up. Dollar razors, soaps and shampoos are perfect to stock the shelves.

Helping others is a great way to build community, and helps us focus on something outside of our day-to-day routines. It can truly be one of the most rewarding things that a person can do.

-B

 

Posted in Uncategorized  |  2 Comments »

Old Time Radio Christmas, Round 3

October 14th, 2016

radio-xmas

It’s time for our third annual post showcasing Old Time radio Christmas shows. If you have missed the past posts, you can find them HERE and HERE This year, I have selected yet another set of classic Christmas shows to share, and I hope you will enjoy listening to them.

The first selection is from a show called Fibber McGee and Molly. This show was a comedy, and has some seriously funny moments, including many times that the main characters crack each other up during the show. There is also a good deal of word play and some involved puns, which I enjoy. This episode shows the Christmas Spirit of the McGees.

Fibber McGee and Molly – Fixing Broken Toys For Needy Children

Next up is an episode of the Jack Benny Show. Benny is considered one of the most influential comics of the 20th century, with his radio show running over 23 years. His self-deprecating style of humor and great supporting cast made for some very funny moments. If you enjoy comedy, I would encourage you to listen to this series. You will not be disappointed. This is one of the many Christmas episodes from the series, from 1944.

Jack Benny – Trimming The Christmas Tree

Now, here is an episode of the Tales of the Texas Rangers. The Rangers are a police force that has existed in Texas since the days of the Republic in the 1830’s. Over the years, the Rangers have been the subject of many films and radio and television shows, and have made their imprint on pop culture. Two examples of this are the popular Lone Ranger, who was in reality a Texas Ranger, and the MLB’s Texas Rangers baseball team. The radio show followed the adventures of Ranger Jayce Pearson, and this episode shows his good heart around Christmastime.

Tales of the Texas Rangers – Christmas Present

Continuing along, here is an episode of Night Beat, a show about the adventures of Randy Stone, who worked the night beat, writing a human interest column for a large newspaper. The show’s topics are varied, and Stone isn’t always the hero. He tends to be hard-nosed, but his human side always comes through. This series only ran for a couple years, but it is well done and interesting, even to today’s standards.

Night Beat – Five Days off for Christmas

Now, to get to the meaning of the season, an episode of Lum and Abner. This series ran for over 20 years, following the antics of two small town friends. This is a shorter show, in the 15 minute format, and touches on a birth on Christmas eve.

Lum and Abner – Christmas Story

Lastly, an episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. Dollar is an insurance investigator whose cases are varied and well thought out. When this series ended, with it ended the ‘Golden Age’ of radio shows. I enjoy this series immensely. Several actors played the lead role, and while some were very dry and business-like, some were more laid back and portrayed Dollar with more humor and insight. This episode was actually written under a pseudonym by Bob Bailey, who also plays Dollar.

Yours Truly Johnny Dollar – The Carmen Kringle Matter

I hope you take the time to listen to these shows, and they can kick off your fall with thoughts of the upcoming Christmas Season.

 

Posted in Uncategorized  |  2 Comments »

Chalk up another season

January 6th, 2016

Well, that’s a wrap. The lights have run their last sequence for the season, and the yard has gone dark. It was a successful, though stressful, season, with a good amount of traffic. Feedback on the new display features was overwhelmingly positive. Donations were down from last year, but still 50% more than the previous year. In total, we collected a few pennies shy of $450. Facebook likes shot up past 1000, and website visits are approaching 30k total over the last three years

We have already started planning for next season, and I have new display items in the works. Next year should feature a revamp of the original spiral tree (think taller), as well as many new pixel accent pieces and all new sequences. We are already looking forward to it.

Thank you for another successful season!

Posted in Uncategorized  |  2 Comments »

Hard to believe…

January 5th, 2016

Two

 

If you want to see the lights, you have exactly two more chances: tonight, and tomorrow night. This season flew by, and I’m sure part of that is due to the late start. It’s been a season of struggles and learning, as we adapted some new technology to the show. We managed to work out all the snags, and are looking forward to what we can do next year, running new technology, but keeping a traditional feel to the show. It should be fun 🙂

Come on out and see the lights! Bring a donation for KCRM (we’re up over $400 so far). I would if I were you…

Posted in Uncategorized  |  No Comments »

Previous Entries
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox

Join other followers: