Sending You Love Light and Laughter for the Season

Memories of 2013 Lake Ave East– “music was added this year and there are 10 songs and about 10,000 flashing lights and over 60 extension cords. Thanks Perry– you did a great job!”

 

I have always thought to myself that if your home has the most Christmas decorations, you better be giving out full-size chocolate bars on Halloween. It’s not that I don’t like Christmas lights, but I can’t seem to find any reference in any holy books about a house covered with millions of lights like Christmas Vacation. But, maybe there is just something that I am missing.

 

2013

Years ago when my late husband Angelo decorated our home on Lake Ave East for Christmas I learned to live with it. Why does one have to learn to live with it? Well in the Seccaspina household we take Christmas lighting seriously, and when you put up  Christmas decorations in our family it came in stages. Each stage was as important as the next.

 

Perry 2016– and so it began and like his Father things seemed to multiply.

 

There was the stage where I sat in the car with the motor running in October while we loaded up the trunk like there was a heck of a sale at IKEA.  Then there was the Pre Christmas Light sales and After Christmas Light sales, and believe you me, our family never missed a one.

They say that the prettier the Christmas lights on the outside, the more dysfunctional the family on the inside. I hereby apologize to anyone that was looking for an extension chord in our area weeks before Christmas. I apologize again that you had to buy the love of your children with one inflatable Christmas lawn decoration at a time because of the lack of extension chords.

 

 

Christmas Light season 2013 at the Seccaspina house on Lake Ave

 

When it was about midway November I began to think that the neighbours who left their Christmas lights up all year were geniuses. The Christmas lights had begun the tradition of being strung out in the foyer like snakes. All these light strings in Rubbermaid containers were detangled with love and then detangled again and then finally plugged in.

I would just shake my head as I watched Angelo get upset when a strand of Christmas lights didn’t work. Sometimes I’d see him accidentally ball a string back up and toss it in the same container so it could get him mad again the next year. I never questioned him during Christmas light season, and I always thought a box of Christmas lights should come complete with coupons for couple counselling.

It was amazing to me that a computer the size of a city block could fit in your pocket yet a whole strand of Christmas lights still goes dark when one lonely bulb burns out. What’s up with that?

 

 

15 Dec 2012 Seccaspina House on Lake Ave

I am also here to dispel the myth that Christmas lights use up a lot of power. I was told by Ange years ago that your toaster used more power in a single use than Christmas lights would running all night long. This is the beautiful thing about modern LED technology, or so they say.

The main difference between men and women is that women can remember the backstory for every Christmas decoration, and I will remember Christmas Light decorating season on Lake Ave for the rest of my life.  Maybe one year it might happen again.

 

 

Which brings us to 2019.

Since Angelo passed away in February of 2014 youngest son Perry has taken over the challenge. Actually he did the last year 2013 that we had lights on our Lake Ave home as Angelo was very sick. I am proud to say that Perry carries on his Dad’s love for Christmas–just not in this yard anymore, but at his own home. This year his Christmas Legacy of Lights has almost 40,000 LED lights and his creativity on this Christmas light masterpiece will boggle your mind. I marvel as a mother would how he has not fallen off the roof, but he has told me he has that mastered. I still worry.

So please come see Sophia’s Light Show once again this year because every moment is brought to you by love. Love for a father that is greatly missed but the tradition is carried on. Thank you Perry!

Thanks go to Brian Turner from Hometown News for writing about Perry in this latest issue.

 

The tradition begins once again this year- Sophia’s Animated Christmas Light Show Sunday December 16th at 6. The light show of over 33,000 lights will be on EVERY night from 6-9. Don’t forget to tune into 88.3 Griswold FM.

Please feel free to share and spread the word!!

267 Stonewood drive, just off 9th line in Carleton Place.

 

Merry Christmas ❤️

 

 

Perrys 2015

 

Perrys 2016

The Story Behind the Christmas Lights on Stonewood Drive

In Memory of The Man Who Loved Christmas

The Story Behind the Christmas Lights on Stonewood Drive

Please note that my sons light show runs every year.https://lindaseccaspina.wordpress.com/2020/11/19/remembering-the-christmas-star/. check out this link

Many years ago our home on Lake Ave. East in Carleton Place was abuzz with Christmas lights. My late husband Angelo spared no expense to ‘entertain the neighbours’ during the festive season. Every year was a new plan, new lights, and my youngest son Perry was always by his side through snow, sleet, and bitter cold.

In February of 2014, Angelo died of colon cancer, and when December of the same year  rolled around Perry decided to keep up his Father’s tradition at his own home off the 9th line in Beckwith. They called it Sophia’s Animated Christmas Light Show named after their 3 year-old daughter Sophia who was born 6 months after Angelo died.

I guess I never understood why my family seemed to own half of the Carleton Place Canadian Tire and Home Depot Christmas light section when Angelo was alive, but when I saw that Perry used over 33,000 Christmas LED lights in his display this year I stopped getting “my tinsel in a tangle” and wished Perry’s Father could see how far our youngest son has progressed in becoming a Christmas Lighting Wizard. So, when you see the light display this year just off the 9th line, now you know the rest of the story– that it just isn’t another Christmas light show– it is a son’s love for his father reflected in each Christmas light.

Sophia’s Animated Christmas Light Show –267 Stonewood Drive, Carleton Place every night from 6-9pm (off the Beckwith 9th line)– It’s off Country Lane estates drive,,. there is no light so drive slowly and go right to the end of the road. You can’t miss it

33,000 Lights– The moment we’ve all been waiting for. . . . Sophia’s Animated Christmas Light Show will debut tonight ( Saturday December 9th ) at 6pm. The light show will be on EVERY night from 6-9. This year we have over 33,000 yes that’s right thirty three thousand LED bulbs. Don’t forget to tune into 88.3 Griswold FM.  Don’t be shy to stick around and listen to the roughly 15 holiday songs that are synchronized to the light show!! 

In Memory of The Man Who Loved Christmas

Better Watch Out– Widespread Deck the Halls Recalls

So the heat is on so to speak— on both sides of the platform. On one side we have extremely disgruntled Christmas decoration customers complaining about light shortages at Walmart, Canadian Tire, Michaels, Loblaws and the list goes on.

In the other corner we have Health Canada who has put the sudden Grinch in Christmas decorating by issuing a recall for all seasonal lights produced by Taizhou Hongpeng Colour Lanterns or Ningbo EGO International Co. Ltd., due to “a number of incident reports” concerning their products.

The lights of course are all manufactured in China and sold widely in Canada under various labels, at major retailers such as Michaels, Loblaws and Wal-Mart. Lights affected by the recall are typically sold under North American labels, such as Michaels “Celebrate It” lights and Walmart’s “Holiday Time” lights.  Go online and check your product’s CSA number to determine if it is affected– here is a partial list.

 

Remind me again why we look for that CSA Certification? Well if you are like me you are probably scratching your head and wondering  why. If the lights are being recalled because they did not meet CSA standards- then how can the box display the CSA logo?

Exactly, what kind of smoke and mirrors game is going on? Well, it seems that the manufacture might have made changes to the product after having gotten the CSA mark of approval. That change, whatever it was, made the product no longer complaint.  But it does not end with those major retailers. Every single day a retailers has issued the public a warning– a warning you might have missed.

OTHER WARNINGS:

Dollarama Christmas Light 50 Miniature Straight Line Indoor Light Set. 

The affected product has a length of approximately 3 meters (10 feet), has clear or colored bulbs and a green wire. The recalled product is identified by model number I-50, CSA file number 224823, Dollarama item number 09-3039962 and UPC 667888205394.  Consumers are able to locate the model number and CSA file number on the white tag affixed to the wire and the Dollarama item number and UPC on the product’s packaging .

Canadian Tire is recalling a set of Christmas lights as they may pose a fire and shock hazard.

The lights in question are the ‘Holiday Collection’ brand of indoor and outdoor Christmas light strings, supplied by Danson Decor Incorporated. Okay, Canadian Tire also has “Blue Planet” energy saving (also made in China) outdoor flood lights from Canadian Tire, and on the bulb it cautions “use only in dry locations”! REALLY?? This is Canada– we have SNOW- and it certainly isn’t dry!!!!

The lights manufactured after spring of 2015 and sold between August and November 30 are affected.

If you purchased the lights, stop using them and return them to Canadian Tire for a refund.

The following products are being recalled:

– 051-2307 140LT,8FUNCT CLR
– 051-2309 140LT,8-FUNCT MULTI
– 051-2503 100LT OUT CURTAIN GR
– 051-2504 100LT OUT CURTAIN WH
– 051-2510 100LT OUT CURN WH/RD
– 051-2512 100LT OUT CURN WH/BL
– 151-3652 OD HC LED 50 C9 MLT
– 151-3653 OD HC LED 50 C9 WW
– 151-3751 HC OD LED 200 C6 PW

In Memory of The Man Who Loved Christmas

Please note that my sons light show runs every year.https://lindaseccaspina.wordpress.com/2020/11/19/remembering-the-christmas-star/. check out this link

This morning I found this picture of my late husband Angelo a few months before he died. Sick as a dog with cancer in 2013, he sat there and directed his troops (Perry and Steph) on how to get the job done.

Our front yard Christmas display at 77 Lake Ave East rivalled the decorating of Clark Griswold in the film Christmas Vacation. It was a giant tribute to Christmas that could be seen for miles. Even though Angelo’s health was quickly deteriorating, he still made sure the house was ready to go that final year.

I never understood why we owned half of the Carleton Place Canadian Tire Christmas light section–or the mountains of boxes of lights that were everywhere throughout the house. In fact the day I found 85 brand new boxes of lights hidden behind the couch in the study I think I looked something like this.

To be honest we had stopped decorating the interior of the house in a big way after the fire in 1995. Two years ago, I sucked my heart in and decorated every single room for the Carleton Place Hospital Foundation Christmas House Tour. Not everyone was behind my decision, but I had to make this effort in his memory.  I knew that the house would never again display his talents and love for the season, and wanted to do it as a tribute for his love of Christmas.

For anyone that thought Ange just threw lights up every year, you would be wrong. Each display was well thought out, and every year he wanted the latest and greatest. Last week my son asked me what I thought his Dad would be up to this year if he was alive. I lowered my head and tried not to laugh as I knew we would be up to our necks in something that lit up or made noise. Our vestibule looked like the picture above for weeks on end and I finally tried my best to ignore it.

Now the only thing that is left from his last display is the star and lights around the upper level of the house. I cannot take them down, but yet I can’t seem to turn them on. The only time those lights were lit was Christmas Eve, his birthday and Father’s Day–now the bulbs have all burnt out. As for the interior, the only thing consistent is Angelo’s year round Christmas tree.

After the fire we all remembered the ravaged Christmas tree that stood in a corner, so instead, he put up a giant tree in the TV room and bought music boxes.  That tree has stood there 365 days a year since December 1996 and will never ever come down.

Traditions do continue, and generations carry on, and I am proud to say that my youngest son Perry carries on his Dad’s love for Christmas–just not in this yard anymore, but at his own home. Stephanie made an official announcement on Facebook, so I guess writing it here isn’t letting the Christmas cat out of the bag. A lot of the lights being used on Perry’s display are from his Dad’s original collection.

Sophia’s Animated Christmas Light Show Begins Tonight!!.. My late husband Angelo Seccaspina used to light up Lake Ave East every Christmas season until he died. But for a few years my youngest son Perry believes traditions do continue, and generations carry on, and he carries on his Dad’s love for Christmas–just not in this yard anymore, but at his own home with over 33,000 lights. A lot of the lights being used on Perry’s display are from his Dad’s original collection.

The tradition begins once again this year TONIGHT- Sophia’s Animated Christmas Light Show Sunday December 16th at 6. The light show of over 33,000 lights will be on EVERY night from 6-9. Don’t forget to tune into 88.3 Griswold FM.

Please feel free to share and spread the word!!

267 Stonewood drive, just off 9th line in Carleton Place.

Merry Christmas ❤️

Thanks Perry–your Dad has not set his course by passing ships, but by the brightness of each and every one of your twinkling Christmas lights. You can read all about this ongoing Hallmark moment  tradition here. In Memory of The Man Who Loved Christmas CLICK — https://lindaseccaspina.wordpress.com/2015/11/26/in-memory-of-the-man-who-loved-christmas/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=bRlFJQFTkqw

May all your troubles soon be gone–the Seccaspina Christmas lights still keep shining on. Thanks Perry–your Dad has not set his course by passing ships, but by the brightness of each and every one of your twinkling Christmas lights.

Angelo and Axel 2012– In memory of them both.

Perry 2015

Perry and Sophia 2015

Perry 2016– and so it began and like his Father things seemed to multiply.

Perry 2016– Sophia is the director now– and soon will be running her own show.

Perry 2016

Christmas Lights 2012