DFW Christmas Lights (214) 257-8155

Twelve Days of Christmas 
(ITALIANO VARIATION)

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
A bowl full of parmesean cheese.

On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Two garlic cloves,
and a bowl full of parmesean cheese

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
three Pizza Pies,
two garlic cloves,
and a bowl full of parmesean cheese.

On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Four meatballs,
three Pizza Pies,
Two garlic cloves,
and a bowl full of parmesean cheese.

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Five pasta fazool !!!!
Four meatballs,
three Pizza Pies,
Two garlic cloves,
and a bowl full of parmesean cheese.

On the 6th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Six pepperonis,
Five pasta fazool !!!!
Four meatballs,
three Pizza Pies,
Two garlic cloves,
and a bowl full of parmesean cheese.

On the 7th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Seven canellonis,
six pepperonis,
Five pasta fazool !!!!
Four meatballs,
three Pizza Pies,
Two garlic cloves,
and a bowl full of parmesean cheese.

On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Eight Uncle Tonies,
seven canellonis,
Six pepperonis,
Five pasta fazool !!!!
Four meatballs,
three Pizza Pies,
Two garlic cloves,
and a bowl full of parmesean cheese.

On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Nine Cousin Ginos,
eight Uncle Tonies,
Seven canellonis,
Six pepperonis,
Five pasta fazool !!!!
Four meatballs,
three Pizza Pies,
Two garlic cloves,
and a bowl full of parmesean cheese.

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Ten glasses of vinos,
nine Cousin Ginos,
Eight Uncle Tonies,
Seven canellonis,
Six pepperonis,
Five pasta fazool !!!!
Four meatballs,
three Pizza Pies,
Two garlic cloves,
and a bowl full of parmesean cheese.

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Eleven Mama Mias!
Ten glasses of vinos,
Nine Cousin Ginos,
Eight Uncle Tonies,
Seven canellonis,
Six pepperonis,
Five pasta fazool !!!!
Four meatballs,
three Pizza Pies,
Two garlic cloves,
and s bowl full of parmesean cheese.

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Twelve dishes of spaghetti and cardoons.
Eleven Mama Mias!
Ten glasses of vinos,
Nine Cousin Ginos,
Eight Uncle Tonies,
Seven canellonis,
Six pepperonis,
Five pasta fazool !!!!
Four meatballs,
three Pizza Pies,
Two garlic cloves,
and a bowl full of parmesean cheese.

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This home has all 4 sides decorated with warm white LED C9 bulbs. It also has red berry, “Razzleberry” LED mini lights on the shrubs and “Ice Drop”  tube lights on the tree, entry way and breezeway. It’s on the Highland Park carriage trail and it is a must see this holiday season.

DFW Christmas Lights and The Outdoor Lighting Expert are owned and operated by Dallas Curb Appeal Inc.

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By Maria Bargellini, of DFW Christmas Lights

I have been an electrician for over a dozen years and the thing most home owners have issues with are their outdoor GFCI outlets. GFCI stands for ground fault circuit interrupter, in the business we say GFI for short. Those fancy letters are just a way of saying cut off device. If you overload your circuit, get a surge or short from weather, the ground fault in the device will trip, much like a breaker, and shut off the power to your device. It does so as to not  allow the surge to return to your breaker. It’s meant to protect the breaker and or electrical panel.

How to know if your device has tripped

• There’s usually one or two buttons on your device that will “pop” when there is a problem. This is something you can usually hear happening.
• Some devices will have a light that is either lit or not lit with it’s regular operation. The presence of the light or lack there of signal that the device is tripped.
• No power at the outlet is a clear sign that the device may have tripped

Reasons for tripping

• Moisture: Water or moisture entering the device will cause it to trip.
• Overloading your circuit. GFCIs typically come in 15 or 20 amp capacity. If you are trying to operate a 20 amp device on a 15 amp circuit the GFI will trip immediately and will continue to do so even if it holds for a little while.
• Shorts: Not Bermuda but electrical shorts. GFCIs are usually connected to other outlets. If there is a problem with a satellite outlet that’s connected to your GFI it will trip at the GFCI.

Problem Solvers Quick Fixes

• The wright covers: I know it’s ugly but those big bubble covers you see on the outlets are the best thing to use. They are called “In Use Covers” and they are made to shield the outlet from the elements. They have cut out so that your cords can be inserted into the holes and the cover will remain close.
• Loops: Water goes down hill. If you leave a loop before your outlet the water will generally run off at the base of the loop and not straight into the outlet.
• Changing the Device: The GFCIs are not meant to last forever. Years of tripping and weather can cause the device to malfunction. Simply replacing it is all you may need.
• Upgrading the device: If your wire is sized correctly you may be able to replace your 15 amp device to 20 amps, giving you more power to work with.

The information in this article is written as a general guide only. You should consult an electrician for any repairs, questions, or problems you may have.

DWF Christmas Lights and The Outdoor Lighting Expert are owned and operated by Dallas Curb Appeal Inc., a full service Landscape Contractor.

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Maintenance

To date there aren’t any Christmas lights that are manufactured here in the US, but we use millions of lights. Manufacturing so many lights for consumption with only months to prepare has led to holiday decorations notoriously being poorly manufactured and unreliable. Our Christmas lights are commercial grade, with greater durability and quality than our competitors. The following guide offesr advice and solutions to the most common Christmas light problems whether you’re using our lights or your own.

WHEN LIGHTS FAIL

1. Check that all circuits are on and that all plugs are plugged into a sufficient power source.
2. Check the plug fuses of the light set. If the filament within the fuse is broken, replace the fuse. It is also sometimes necessary to spread plug prongs of plugs to insure circuit contact. This is a common problem.
3. While the light set is plugged into a sufficient current, run a finger slowly over the bulb tops. If the light set comes on while touching a particular bulb, this bulb is most likely causing a short in the circuit. Remove and replace this bulb. In this case, the wire was not making contact with the light socket.
4. Check that the appropriate amount of light sets are plugged into each other, end to end. There should be no more than two (2) sets of lights plugged into each other.
5. If the lights are plugged into an extension cord, there may be an overload. Make sure there are not too many lights plugged into the cord. Also check the plug fuse of the extension cord. *NOTE* It is always best to check any light set while it is plugged into a wall plug outlet.
6. Should a light set be burning brighter than normal, there are most likely more than eight (8) to fifteen (15) bulbs that have burned out. Find and replace those bulbs that are not working. Do not replace burned out bulbs while the light set is plugged in. This will cause a current surge and will burn out the new bulb.
7. When replacing a burned-out bulb in a mini light set, it is helpful to use a tester. This will dramatically simplify the repair of light sets on both trees and displays. To use the tester, plug one light set into the plug outlet on the light tester. Push the test button on the tester; a buzzing sound will come from any defective bulbs. Remove and replace the bulb(s). On light sets of over fifty lights (light spheres, 100 light sets, etc.), remove one bulb from the end of the set or sphere, and plug the light into the tester. Push the test button. Remove and replace the bulb. Continue testing each light until the defective light is found.

Power Setup–Click here for Part II of this article

You don’t need to read your electric bill to know that outdoor Christmas lights can draw a huge amount of power. 100 feet of incandescent C9 bulbs, for instance, draw 3 and half times more power than most televisons! Needless to say, if you plug too many light strings into one plug, you will quickly overload that circuit.

Most homes have a 16 amp plug in the front and back yard; however, that circuit is usually shared with a room in the home, so not all 16 amps are usable. If you are planning a large Christmas light display, it is wise to calculate the number of amps your Christmas lights and decorations draw to make sure it is far less than 16 amps.

Amperage is usually posted on the UL tag at one end of your light string. If it is not, use this formula to determine the amperage of your light strings:

Number of Feet x Number of Watts Per Bulb / 125 Volts = Number of Amps

Using the example above:

100 Feet of C9 Bulbs x 7 Watts per Bulb / 125 Volts = 5.6 Amps.

Assuming other electrical devices are not using this circuit, you could plug additional lights or decorations into your outdoor plug. However, you should check the UL tag for maximum connections (usually 3) before plugging additional lights in end-to-end.

Note: Most Mini Light strings are not rated in watts, but amps, so the math is done for you.

Disclaimer

Please note: This information is just a general guideline to assist you in your project. With any electrical product or situation there is a risk of electrical shock. DFW Christmas Lights and it’s parent company, Dallas Curb Appeal accepts no liability for the content of this article, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in writing. Any views or opinions presented in this e-mail are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company-

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BY Maria Bargellini, of DFW Christmas Lights, Dallas Christmas Light installers

Looking for somewhere to go to see a lights this holiday? Try Whistlestop, in Cleburne, Texas. Their Christmas wonderland lighting display has over 3 ½ million lights decorating Hulen Park in Cleburne, Texas. There’s live entertainment like a community choir, representing area churches, singing Christmas music, a parade and pictures with Santa.  Adding to the fun will be food and gift vendors, and kids of all ages will be able to blow the whistle on the historic 3417 Steam Engine. View historic Cleburne at the Candle walk Tour of Homes. Several homes, built in the 1800’s and early 1900’s, of varying architectural styles, have been restored to their original charm. These homes are decorated for the holidays and open for the public to tour.

Going into it’s 14th year, Whistle Stop Christmas began in 1996 with just a few people who wanted to decorate Cleburne in a special way for the Holidays. As the story goes, Rebecca Roe had gone to Marble Falls to visit some friends, and they had been telling her about the beautiful lights their town displayed each year at Christmas.

Rebecca thought this would be wonderful for Cleburne. But she didn’t know how to get it started. Rebecca’s husband, Robert, was chairman of the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce at the time, and he introduced to an energetic woman named Nell Dixon who had just taken the position as the chamber president. The Roes Ben Franklin store had been accidentally double-shipped Christmas lights that year. Rebecca seizes the opportunity to decorate parts of the city with the extra lights.Rebecca asked Nell if they could call a meeting of community members who could be instrumental in spearheading an extravagant lighting display in Cleburne, and Nell said “Go for it.” Thus began Whistle Stop Christmas.

Links and additional Info

Slide show

Contact Whistlestop Here

Please note: The list of events for the 2010 season hasn’t been listed yet but expect the best from this historic town.

DFW Christmas Lights and The Outdoor Lighting Expert are owned by Dallas Curb Appeal.

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