Bad news, bright future
PlanetChristmas leader on vacation this year but looks forward
to 2006
By COURTNEY WATSON
Staff Writer
FRANKLIN — When you put on the biggest display of Christmas lights
in Williamson County, it's never too early to start planning for the
big day.
But Chuck Smith, the man behind the 200,000-bulb
holiday light show PlanetChristmas, already has his mind on
Christmas 2006.
That'll be the next time holiday gazers can check
out the display; Smith has announced he's taking the year off this
December to go to Disney World.
"I figured out that this was going to be my 22nd
year of doing a computerized display. I decided it was time for a
vacation," Smith said. He explained that much of his holiday season
is eaten up every year by the massive light display, which operates
using a Pentium computer controlling 576 separate circuits.
"It takes three weeks to set up the display, and a
solid week to tear it down, starting the day after Christmas," he
said.
For years, Smith ran PlanetChristmas out of his
home in the Cobblestone subdivision, but in 2003 it outgrew its
venue and moved to The People's Church. There it grew to include
four distinct areas — Santa at the Beach, Toyland, Back at the North
Pole and Nativity — measuring 200 feet wide and 45 feet deep.
This year, Smith was having trouble making
everything come together for the display.
"The church and I are having preliminary talks
about where to put the 2005 Christmas display. Nothing seems easy
anymore," Smith wrote recently in his
planetchristmas.com blog. "I'm not real sure what to do."
Smith said he's always wanted to "see how the
professionals do it" at Disney World but had never had time because
of his PlanetChristmas obligations.
"This will be the year to do it," he said. "From
what I've read, they take Christmas very seriously there. I'll be
able to see how they do it, and hopefully take advantage of some of
their ideas."
Meanwhile, Smith asks that would-be gawkers look
on the bright side. "It's not bad news," he said. "Everybody
look forward to 2006, when the display will be that much better."
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