Light guy amps up for another year
When he puts up lights, he’s working in the darkFor Scott Ballard, the lights come out when the sun goes down.
The devoted Christmas decorator, who lavishly decks out his home each season, said nighttime is the best time to string lights, position animated figures and balance textures, colors and light intensity across a house-length display.
“Sure, it gets a little chilly,” said the 47-year-old homeowner, who spends hundreds of hours on his holiday project. “But it’s so much easier to see spacing and placement when it’s dark.”
Other tidbits from Ballard’s annual project include:
• Awards: Ballard’s displays have been recognized with ribbons and trophies by various groups over the past two decades. Last year, he took third place in the Wenatchee World’s Christmas Lighting contest.
• Workshop: The 16-foot-long workshop structure is showing its age after 14 years of service, said Ballard. So he covers the interior plywood walls with brown paper and carefully lights the structure.
