OC Woman's 65K Christmas Lights Delights Some, Angers Others
FOUNTAIN VALLEY (CBSLA.com) — A Christmas display with almost 65,600 LED lights at a Fountain Valley home has been attracting hundreds of spectators every night, but not all of them are thrilled by the spectacular light show.
Neighbor Joe Flanagan and several other residents said the house is too bright, too loud and brings too much traffic to their quiet neck of the woods.
"It's more appropriate for the Las Vegas Strip," said Flanagan. "It's not that we're opposed to Christmas, it's just too much."
Jan Stewart, the owner of the home, defends the "Griswold-esque" display as a tribute to her late husband, Larry.
"We said, 'We gotta do that someday, we gotta do that.' Last year was the year, and then he didn't make it. He died May 15 of mesothelioma cancer," she said.
Last year's display went viral on YouTube.
Less than a week before Christmas, crowds continue to swarm the attraction from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
"I've never seen anything like it before," a young girl told CBS2/KCAL9's Rob Schmitt.
Kim Gallaway and a group of friends rented a party bus for their families and travelled 30 miles to see the home.
"It's worth the trip," she said.
While some people have complained about Stewart's residence to the City Council, she's only received a noise violation ticket.
"It's Christmas. We don't do this all the time," said Stewart.
And how could she?
Damion Rodriguez, the project's designer, said it takes a month to put together and 650 hours to produce.
The price tag? Around $50,000.
