West Seattle Christmas lights encore: Meet the presenters

On the left, the Helmstetlers, as in the Helmstetler Family Christmas Lights Extravaganza by the Charlestown water tower; at right, Jim Winder, the designer/programmer (see the lights/synched music videos here). We dropped in to talk with them for a moment (sorry about the pink/orange tone) while they presented tonight’s encore mentioned earlier for a family whose Christmas timing was off because of a loved one heading to Afghanistan. (Pouring rain kept that family viewing in their car, so we didn’t get to talk with them. We may get to see a video later with the special music Jim programmed for the occasion.) As you can hear in the brief interview, they’re already talking about next year! (Jim’s trying to expand his computer capabilities to handle more info next year.) But first – when the weather dries out, the lights finally come down.

k January 8, 2010 (10:33 pm)

Traci where were you all? We were in the cars east of the family.
It was a great show. We all enjoyed it.

WSB January 8, 2010 (10:59 pm)

Patrick went by to catch up with the hosts in their house, hoping maybe the guests of honor would have been in visiting too, but his understanding was that because of the driving (so to speak) rain, they didn’t get out of their car. (I was in transit from a conference at the UW and en route home to catch a quick bite before going to cover the High Point school-related meeting, which is the next thing I’m writing about tonight.)

k January 8, 2010 (11:11 pm)

It was pouring– we stayed in our cars too– except for the son who felt the need to run around in the rain a little.

Val M January 9, 2010 (12:47 pm)

I wanted to extend a personal thank you to the family and programmer for this special display. It was extra special for me this year. I have been bedridden for almost a month with a serious illness, but on Christmas Day, my husband bundled me up and put me in the car. We drove over to the house, parked and watched the whole show and listened on our radio. It made my Christmas. Thank you!

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