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Delaware Family's Christmas Decorations Make the Griswolds Look Like Amateurs
Clark Griswold's power-sapping, aircraft-guiding Christmas light extravaganza once represented the pinnacle of overzealous Holiday displays. The last few seasons have witnessed an evolution of progressively elaborate home illuminations, though, including one brilliant and blinding arrangement from Delaware's Faucher family. The Fauchers have apparently adhered to a Griswold-style lighting plan for 25 years, and -- this year -- House Logic broke down the monthly costs required. At four hours per night, for 1 million individual bulbs, the Fauchers allegedly pay $82,320 every month, which breaks down to $686 per hour. According to Gizmodo, though, if the Fauchers were to make the switch to LED lights, the monthly bill would plummet to a relatively reasonable $10,680, or a paltry $89 per hour. Plus, with LED displays, the family could synchronize their illuminated decorations with the classic carols of the season -- like these unwavering traditionalists.
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Comments
16
Subscribe to commentstherose102787Dec 20th 2010 10:57PM
rumor has it the DPL power plant pays their electric bill in the christas time to keep the lights going off rt 7 and 71.
BobDec 22nd 2010 8:14AM
Has anybody thought to do the math?? $686 per hour?? At 10 cents per kilowatt hour (1000 watts per hour) they would be powering 6,860,000 watts. At 125 VAC (volts alternating current) every 800 watts would require 1 amp of electric capacity (watts X volts = amps). The typical newer home usually has a 200 amp main breaker and panel. But some newer larger homes may have a 400 amp main breaker and panel.
If the house has a 200 amp service the maximum watts they could power would be 160,000 or $16 per hour. Obviously, it would be double if they have a 400 amp service. That's a far cry from $686, no?? It's a nice story but something just doesn't add up here.
LindaDec 22nd 2010 6:58AM
what a waste of electricity
jplank8Dec 22nd 2010 7:23AM
@Linda
Go away Scrooge !
leslieDec 22nd 2010 7:25AM
if I had this much extra money I would buy presents for the needy not needlessly waste
joeDec 22nd 2010 11:18AM
@leslie How do you know if they didnt take the exact same amount of money and donate that? There is nothing wrong with having or spending money, so long as the money does not control you.
They are not living in a grand mansion with a large several acre manicured lawn, They seem to be resonable, well living people and when Christmas comes around they spend a extra to make the season worth while.
So long as they spend the same amount on donations and giving as they do any of the perks of living with a lot of money, they do not need to feel guilty about it.
If you have a problem with the money, they by all means, take a stand learn a new skill, invest, start a business and go make that money. This is American and the Sky is the limit, you can do anything you want in the great land.
So either, wallow in your self pity or pick yourself up by your boot straps and go do something. Either way, IT IS YOUR CHOICE, Spend the money or lay around complaining.
By the way, I do wish you all the happiness and Merry Christmas.
Deacon's AngelDec 22nd 2010 7:53AM
OMG....I can't imagine. It would take all our income for 5 years to pay for 1 month of that electricity!!! It must be nice to have that kind of money to be able to do that, although I think it could go for more humane causes, but in a capitolistic society that's the way it should be. If ya got it, flaunt it !!
smartazzchickDec 22nd 2010 7:56AM
I'm sure they also collect their welfare check every month and with their foodstamp card they're able to serve milk and cookies to carolers
SmartChickDec 22nd 2010 9:51AM
@smartazzchick ... I actually grew up with some of the Faucher children, and the children AND parents are really great people. This has become a holiday tradition in Delaware for thousands of families who make a trip just to see the display. Mr. Faucher has even dressed up as Santa in the past and handed out candy to visiting children. Please take your nasty attitude and negative outlook on life somewhere else!
KonidiasDec 22nd 2010 12:12PM
@Bob You're right... and not only that but:
"the Fauchers allegedly pay $82,320 every month"
By including that "every month" thing, they make it sound like it's far more than it is... But who would have the display running for months? Christmas is only in December as far as I know... not year round. This article is hogwash, just throwing numbers around to get people to read it.
janiceDec 22nd 2010 12:57PM
We had a family in our neighborhood that did the outrageous Christmas display every year until the patriarch passed. People came for mile to see it. We made it a holiday tradition just to see what was new. Yes, it took a lot of power, but the awe and joy it gave was priceless.
jyeddieDec 22nd 2010 12:28PM
Thats total bs 82,000 a month bill a home like that with lights the bill would be no more then 3k a month
do they really think people are that stupid look at the math my mansion is covered in lights at $800.00
a month people say 82k cuz people like to show off and they make a total fool of themselves..
preyn49Dec 22nd 2010 3:05PM
II am truly sorry, but that is a total waste of resources for a holiday that suppose to epitomize the season of giving. Do you know how many families that electric bill fee could have fed and sheltered? I do not understand the mentality of people around this time of the season. Benevolence should be practiced all of the time and not just on this holiday season. The other concept that I cannot grasp is the whole idea of Christmas and what represents. Some say it is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ, but nowhere in history is His date of birth documented. Now the concept of exchanging gifts with loved ones, family, and friends just doesn't hold water either because we should practice the gift of giving all of the time. Which brings me to the crazy idea of a million lights covering your home and the massive amount of wasted energy burning daily. Isn't there a better way to celebrate a holiday with family and friends without the falsehood of Santa Claus, running up your electric bill, maxing out your credit cards, and getting stupidly intoxicated? Think about that for a minute and trust me you will come to the same conclusion as my family. We enjoy every moment that God allows us so this season is a part of our family practices all throughout the year without all of this outrageous traditions.
AnnDec 22nd 2010 3:25PM
I think it's a piggish waste of electricity.......their ego is off the charts.....
DonovanDec 22nd 2010 4:06PM
Sure happy I'm Jewish. No whopping electric bills for our house at Christmas time.
However, I'm a bit upset with the cost of my menorah candles this year. About 20 cents each. And its not even Kosher wax. When did the price of crappy ole wax go up?
Oui~Vey.
movie fan 80525Dec 22nd 2010 5:48PM
It looks a bit over the top to me, but hey, it's obviously their Christmas tradition. In any case, this reported bill is not likely. Standard house service is 200 amps at 240 volts. That's 48 thousand watts (or 48 kilowatts) when fully loaded. Rounding up from the reported fourteen plus cents to $0.15 per kilowatt hour (source= USDoE http://www.eia.doe.gov/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html data for 2010), that works out to be $7.20 an hour. 744 hours (24 hours x 31 days) of that level usage is just under $5400. So, unless those folks installed an industrial three phase service worthy of a factory or broadcast TV station there is no way of rolling up an eighty thousand dollar bill each month, especially so on only four hours a night. An 80k bill would take about 738 thousand watts each hour for 744 hours. At only four hours per night an 80k bill would take 4.4 million watts. This type of reporting without fact checking is on par with National Enquirer standards. Of course, as long as it gets "hits" for the site, why would they bother with any homework, especially if the readers all go off with it ?!!