Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1513394
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM DECEMBER 20-26 UCW 13 A couple of years ago, Bryan switched all the lights to LED. He and Stephanie say they can't tell the difference in their power bill because they have natural gas, and the bill usually drops in the winter anyway. e best guess they have is a couple hun- dred dollars. is number is generally surpris- ing for people with the amount of lights and inflatables. "It's probably too much for her," Bryan says, pointing at Stephanie. He takes a glance over at her and then continues. "It probably crossed the line of tacky a few years ago." Stephanie smiles as she looks over at Bryan. "No, it's nice to know that other people enjoy it, and it brings joy to them," Stephanie says. e Lakes welcome anyone to come by and see the lights. Most nights, it will be up and running until after 10 p.m. e music will mix old and new, spanning about an hour and a half. Bryan might even be seen handing out candy canes to those who exit the vehicles to get a look. He loves having conversations and discuss- ing Christmas or the lights or music. Every year, Bryan says they will add new things. ere is one thing, however, that will never change about his light show. Currently on the music lineup is the song "Christmas Shoes." e song details a little boy trying to buy shoes for his dying mother and being unable to do so without the help of a stranger. Bryan's voice breaks frequently when recall- ing the story. He sits up straighter, wipes away some tears and readjusts. "at song always makes people leave. I re- fuse to take that out of the show," Bryan says. He stops for a second, pulls his lips in tight and he tries to get his thought out while hold- ing back tears. "I am the boy in the song." e Boy Who Tinkers Just a mile from the Lakes, across Raeford Road, is the home of John and Lacy Kells. Out front, in the mix of bushes, lights and in- flatables, is JP Kells. He walks around the yard, frequently adjusting an inflatable or tweaking a cord. His mother would say he is tinkering, per usual. Many of the inflatables that surround him are 10 times his size. is does not stop him from adjusting any that aren't standing up straight or fixing the lights on others. As he does this, both cars and walkers pass by his yard. "You bring us so much joy," says a mom to JP and Lacy while walking her two toddlers to the house. JP shyly waves to them and smiles. He con- tinues his work around the yard as one of the toddlers runs to see "Snoopy's Tree Lot." JP added that particular part of his light show just this year. Setting up synchronized light displays and 12-foot inflatables are usually the jobs of grown men, but this will be 12-year-old JP's sixth Christmas assembling his light show. He was just five when he asked for the control system for the lights as a Christmas present. Much like Bryan Lake, just a mile away, every year since he adds new touches and inflatables. In the future,JP hopes to add a walk-through element and expand into his neighbor's yard. "We are trying to get into there," JP says pointing toward the adjoining yard. e yard just so happens to belong to his maternal grandparents who live next-door. "He's very slowly convincing Gigi to let him expand into their yard," Lacy says laughing. JP bounces a little and smiles. His excite- ment for future plans is palpable. He's pretty sure he is about to convince his Gigi to use some of her yard. He has already commandeered the use of his grandparents' basement where, in his spare time, he can be found "tinkering." JP, who wants to be an engineer when he grows up, has learned a lot through producing his light shows. He has learned to solder and has more knowledge about amps and wires than most boys his age. "He works on things for months leading up to it. He's constantly checking wires and fans and outlets and other things," Lacy says. "It's a lot." As for the design of the yard, the new sec- tions he'll add or what features he will bring in each year, his mom says it's all in JP's head. "He knows what it will look like before he goes out there." He and his father, John, will spend nights in November setting up the light show for Christmas. While other holidays can be done in a weekend or even less, Christmas is always an undertaking, JP admits. Like Bryan Lake, it consumes most of JP's time in-between Hal- loween and December. Like most boys, JP already has his Christmas gift list in order. However, unlike most boys, most of it has to do with inflatables or the light show. "at is what he asks us and both sets of grandparents for … that's what makes him happy," says Lacy. is is the same for his birthday, which falls at the end of October — just in time to put up the Christmas lights show. JP will watch You- Tube videos on inflatables or monitor websites on the night of the release of the next year's inflatable line up. Each year, a couple weeks before Christmas, JP will also host a hot chocolate fundraiser out of his grandparents' driveway to support a local project. Last year, he raised funds for a local elementary school. e event will entail the light show, hot chocolate goodie bags JP usually makes for the kids that come by. "We do it to give back," Lacy says. "We are so fortunate to be able to do this … it's important to give back." As for why JP does it all, his answer is pretty simple. "I find it fun doing it and it's fun seeing people come by every night." JP says. "Last night we had a line of cars out there." A smile breaks out across his face as he says the last part. Next year, JP will have a few new inflatables to add to the mix and maybe, just maybe, he'll convince Gigi that the show requires two yards instead of one. JP Kells stands in front of his handiwork. Kells, 12, plans for his Christmas display all year, and asks for inflatables for presents. Kells' display this year includes Snoopy's Tree Lot., a new addi- tion to this year's display. KATHLEEN RAMSEY, Staff Writer. COMMENTS? editor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484-6200.