HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-12-23, Page 7Family’s creativity
lights up Christmas
Designers Season’s Greetings
Michael, left, and Brian Alexander are the creative talents
behind the colourful Christmas display at their parent’s
home in Ethel.
A picture can hardly do justice to the ingenuity and hard work put into this Christmas display
at the home of Bob and Joyce Alexander in Ethel, by their sons Michael and Brian. What
began as a single star about four years has grown to become a very visible and highly
enjoyable annual spectacle.
By Bonnie Gropp
Sheltered behind a row of hous
es, back off the main street of the
tiny village of Ethel, is the Alexan
der farm. Most times, it's barely
noticeable to passers-by, but during
the holiday season, thanks to the
ingenuity and creativity of two of
Jim and Barb Alexander's sons, it
sends a colourful Christmas greet
ing that beckons to all.
Obviously there is nothing
unusual about a home bedecked
with colourful lights at this festive
time of year. Traditionally, we
decorate in this way as tokens of
cheerfulness and good will to the
rest of human kind. However, what
makes the Alexander home so spe
cial is that Michael and Brian, a
student of electrical engineering at
the University of Waterloo, built
and designed the display from
scratch.
Finding out the how is not easily
answered to those of us less electri
cally inclined, but the rest of the
story is clear. It was during their
high school years in Listowel when
the idea of creating a special holi
day symbol came to the two young
men. During his grade nine year,
Brian had noticed a star someone
Heartfelt thanks on this joyous occasion.
We look forward to your continued support.
Credit Union
CLINTON
48 Ontario St.
Clinton Community
Credit Union
CHRISTMAS HOURS:
Christmas Eve 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. EXETER
New Year’s Eve 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 118 Main St.
had made during an electricity
class. Later he remembered this and
he and Michael decided to take on
the challenge of building one of
these themselves.
The teacher provided the circuit
board and the rest was pretty much
up to the two of them to figure out.
Working during class, at lunch hour
and after school, the star, which is
comprised of four separate rings of
64 bulbs that flash from the interior
outward, took four months to com
plete
Soon after, a second star was
completed and Brian and Michael
even built one for the teacher Gary
Dill.
By the time Michael had graduat
ed, Brian was in the electrical
course during which he spent some
of his time, with help from Michael
after school, building a tree. "The
job starts going a lot faster after
you start getting onto it," he said,
noting that the tree took him just
two weeks to make.
Since then two more things have
been added to the annual Christmas
display, both of which required
some assistance from the welding
shop at the high school as they do
not follow straight lines. First, it
was three bells, comprised of 114
bulbs, flashing intermittently to
resemble a swinging bell. Then last
year, Brian and Michael took on a
project which they admit caused
some amount of trouble. The
"Merry Christmas" at the base of
the display included a double set of
290 seven watt red and green bulbs
WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS
.... And thanffyou for your business, Wk re especially pleased and proud to be able
to serve you throughout the year, llave a wonderful holiday!
From all of us at
Radford Auto Farm and Industrial Parts,
George Radford Construction Ltd.,
& Radford Fuels
which kept blowing the circuit. The
problem was eventually solved
when they realized that they needed
to break down the circuit to run
half as many lights.
When asked what she thinks
when they come up with yet anoth
er ambitious contribution to the
family decorating, Joyce responds
good naturedly, "How much is it
going to cost?" Brian says the
materials for the star cost about
$100, plus $35 for the box to go
outside. They have estimated an
additional $40 a month to the hydro
bill as well.
Putting up the display and taking
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