Want to donate?
Are there so many users that you're questioning if you're actually in control?
Send me an email and ask for the exclusive link to control the Christmas Tree.
We're looking for a boom truck to install lights along the roofline. Contact me if you can help.
We're also looking to partner with any telco provider that can provide us an improved internet connection in 2016. (Everybody is looking at you, ACS) Endorsements/ad space is available.
In 2010, Ken and Rebecca-Ellen connected their Christmas tree lights to the internet and encouraged visitors from around the world to turn them on and off. Since then, the setup has evolved every year.
We added more lights and more control channels for 2015. Rebecca-Ellen handmade the wreaths. She also is responsible for all the placement of the lights. If it were up to Ken, the light display would not look good. This year, we added an "active users" statistic and an auto-updating temperature at the airport.
Send us an email
if you see us outside. Part of the reason we do this is knowing that
there are thousands millions of people around the world getting a glimpse of our lights!
Media Coverage, 2015:
- Laurel Andrews from the Anchorage Daily News posted us on the front page of Alaska's largest newspaper.
- Alyssa Newcomb from ABC News wrote this wonderful article
- Reddit, the popular social media/news site, generated a lot of traffic in early December.
- Jeanne Moos, from CNN, posted this: online video story about the lights.
- The BBC wrote an article as well.
- The Weather Channel did a great 40 second video spot
- I don't know if break.com counts as media coverage, but it's funny.
- Nice writeup on apartmenttherapy.com
- I found myself on The Telegraph while reading something else.
- Huffington Post featured us in their Weird News
- Daily Mail, from the UK, where the site was described as "exciting as watching paint dry"
- The Mirror also posted an article.
- The guys at Naked Security did this write up
- Here's the google results for other coverage.
Some of the popular frequently asked questions include:
Q: "I want to throw money at you. This is awesome."
A: I used to say "This doesn't cost us a lot, no worries!" As of 23 Dec, the estimated bill for the server time is $420, so
if you'd like to donate
we'd certainly appreciate it! (23 Dec, we still have about $175 shortfall!)
Q: "It's too bright, I can't see the lights!"
A: We don't complain about sunlight in Alaska. Try back later.
Q: "How in the heck do you make this happen?"
A: We live fairly close to North Pole.
(Really, look it up...)
Santa is moving into the digital age, and I'm helping him with some
experimental electronic magic.
Q: "What does this look like from outside your house?"
A: We filmed this from our driveway. We (thankfully) can't see the lights when we're inside.
Q: "This thing is broken. I can't see anything!"
A: Internet Explorer is the worst web browser ever created.
Use Firefox or
Chrome.
Q: "Isn't it super cold in Fairbanks?"
A: Funny you should ask. Currently it is *F at our
house, and *F at the Fairbanks International Airport.
If you're from Canadia, you can convert that by subtracting 32 hockey sticks and multiplying by 5/9th of a maple leaf.
If you're fron Jolly Ole England, subtract 32 cups of tea and multiply by 5/9th of a crumpet?
Q: "Why does it take so long for the lights to turn off and on when
I click the links?"
A: Santa is mad at you because you were bad this year. If it takes more than 5 seconds, try again.
Q: "I'm in Fairbanks, where can I come see this?"
A: Because that's not creepy? It's actually much more entertaining over the internet. If you don't already know where we live, it'd be kinda weird for you to just show up and sit in our driveway. Please don't be that guy.
Q: "HEY, I SAW YOU GUYS!!!"
A: That's not a question, but that's cool. Turn the lights on and
off and we'll wave. Sometimes.
Q: "This is really nerdy."
A: Again, not a question. But yes, this is really nerdy. You still enjoyed it!
