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The
Ludy‘s Christmas Lights Spectacular Display is a multitude of
lights sequenced to music. Jerry, Edith, and their
children have shared
their excitement of lights with the community of
Columbus, GA and surrounding areas for years.
Edith,
one of four children, was the sibling who took charge of
decorations in her family. Edith’s passion for
bringing a smile to a child increased her desires to
create more displays within the inside of the home.
Upon entering the Ludy home, you are greeted with the
most spectacular Nativity scene, a beautiful hand
crafted Advent Calendar, and hand sewn Christmas
Stockings for each member of the family.
When
Jerry was a young boy of 12, he built his first
Christmas project; a Santa out of
paper grocery bags. Jerry painted a face and
placed C-9 lights
around a frame of wood. This small project
increased each year until Jerry found himself as an
adult decorating the outside of his own home.
Jerry took delight in the admiring visitors driving by,
providing inspiration to build and share something new
each year that followed.
As Jerry introduces a new
creation, with it comes an increase in the number of
lights outside of the home each year. In
2006, the light count was greater than
60,000, with Jerry adding an average of 8,000 lights to
the home each year. In 2011 the light count is
well over 100,000 lights. Many ask about the
Ludy's power bill, which used to reach four digits each
November & December. However, when Jerry went
"Green" several years ago, sequencing his lights to
music, swapping out some of the lights for LED's, and
having Georgia Power install another power box, he was
able to get the power bill under control, now averaging
only $100 additional dollars each month during the
Christmas season.
As mentioned, all of the lights are
now sequenced to music,
controlled by a computerized program Jerry commands.
Each
song takes about three weeks to program as each
individual strand of lights (over three miles worth)
must be accounted for and included in the program. The
music is transmitted through a FM transmitter that
can be received while driving within site of the
home. All visitors entering the Cottonwood
Subdivision can tune their
radio station to FM 90.1 and listen to the Ludy's
Christmas Lights Spectacular. As you top the
hill you witness the magic of lights dancing in sync to
holiday music coming from your car speakers.
Each
January Jerry starts the brainstorming process all over
with simple
drawings on a dry erase board. From there,
he begins on a new project to introduce Thanksgiving
evening later that year. He works tirelessly
inside his Santa's Workshop, keeping the new creation
top secret until the Grand Lighting night. Some of
Jerry's Christmas projects have included:
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In 2006, Jerry
constructed a 35’ Santa, Sleigh, and Reindeer that
stretched across the roof with Santa tossing gifts
into the Ludy's chimney. It's been quite
the center piece of the display ever since.
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In 2007,
Jerry incorporated the neighbor's home; having his
rooftop Santa toss gifts over and behind his
head, onto a trampoline of lights that
then bounces into the neighbor's chimney,
all while
standing on the Ludy's roof! Now that takes
some skill!... but what else would you expect from
Santa?
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In 2008, Jerry constructed
three seven foot tall Snowmen to make the
"Snowman Snowball Fight". One snowman in
the
Ludy's yard, one next door, and one across the
street. The Three Snowmen throw snowballs at at each other
between the three different homes! Wow!
Visitors enjoy the opportunity to drive by the Ludy's home,
watching in amazement as snowballs are thrown
over their cars!
(With the
property across the street from the Ludy's home
currently vacant and without power, this project
has been temporarily downsized to a two man
Snowman Snowball fight, with the snowmen
fighting in between the Ludy's home and the next
door neighbor's).
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In 2009, Jerry constructed and added Santa's
Lighting Engineer Elf who
now kicks off the program each night by plugging in
the two extension cords that light up the entire
house (picture Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation).
It's definitely an intro worth sitting and
waiting to see at 6pm each evening.
-
In
2010 Jerry
surprised us all with his hand created and
beautifully designed Big Blue LED Snowflakes
adorning
the roof. They are so gorgeous! Of
course, these spectacular creations just weren't
enough! As visitors parked on the far right of the house
they could listen for the croaking of "Gus the Christmas Frog".
Gus appears out of a gift Santa tosses on the
roof. He then jumps from the Ludy's home to
the neighbor's roof and finally into a hand created
lit birdbath! You won't want to miss him
and of course little boys & girls love Gus!
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In 2011 Jerry created the
most beautiful 17 foot Mega
Christmas Tree made completely out of 7,000
Christmas Lights topped with a
spectacular 4 foot Bethlehem Star. The
front lawn was then outlined and adorned with
new Leaping Lit Arches. The children
really enjoyed watching the arches dance in sync
with the music.
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So what's in store for 2012?
Jerry has shared some of the most marvelous
wishes and dreams for the new year. No
doubt you will be in for a surprise! Happy
New Year and wishing your family many blessings
the whole year through.
A lot of preparation and work goes into this
display in order to have all the lights working and
in synchronization with the music. Jerry could
not create this light wonderland each year if it
wasn't for the help of his son, Keith. Since Keith
was old enough to walk, he has played a large role
in the preparation of the lights. It takes many
months to prepare for this spectacular day. Keith
and Jerry start placing lights on the roof during
the second week of August, working all the way
leading up to Thanksgiving.
Jerry and Edith's oldest daughter, Julie Hedges, owner of
JE Hedges Photography
and
JE Hedges Photo Booth
in Columbus, created and maintains the Ludy Christmas
website. During the Christmas Season, dates will be posted
regarding special evenings that will consist of
visits with Santa. Santa will be providing candy canes
for the children as he listens to all of their wishes.
It is a great time to
fellowship with neighbors and friends. Be sure to bring a camera to take that
priceless photo of your loved one sitting with Santa.
Jerry
and Edith both love Christmas because of celebrating that
special day when Jesus Christ was born. Jesus has
blessed both of them in so many ways; they want to share the
joy of those blessings by bringing a smile to anyone
that is able to see their display. Since Jesus is the
Light of the World, then they want their lights to shine in
celebration of his birth.
Visit us at
5784 Ironstone Drive, Columbus, Georgia, 31907 in the
Cottonwood Plantation neighborhood.
Tons of fun and excitement!
So be sure to bring
the family by and discover what Christmas magic
Santa has planned for 2012! The Ludy‘s
Christmas Light Spectacular opens Thanksgiving Evening,
Thursday, November 22nd, 2012.
We look
forward to seeing you! Mr. & Mrs. Claus - Jerry & Edith Ludy The Elves
- Julie,
Cary, London, Keith, Kristi, Savannah,
Robert, Gracie, Zachary, & Madison
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