Jan Stewart and her husband had always planned to one day turn their home into a beautiful Christmas-lights spectacular. They had planned to do it for the first time during Christmas of 2011, but tragedy struck.
Stewart's husband died. In 2011 and 2012, she put up the 65,000 lights on her own. But it wasn't just about celebrating Christmas, it was about honoring her husband's memory.
You might miss it, but if you look closely at the roof in the video below, the lights quickly display an image of Stewart's beloved husband. The Fountain Valley, CA, home was sight a to be seen, so much so that it drew hundreds of people each night that year.
Every stranger got a little piece of Stewart's husband, but her tribute was not well received by everyone. Her neighbors found it annoying and loud.
"It's more appropriate for the Las Vegas Strip than for a residential area. Most of the houses do have Christmas decorations. We're not opposed to that, but it's just very, very bright; very intrusive," one neighbor said.
Neighbors called the police on the display because they thought it was eyesore, and many filed noise complaints resulting in fines. Stewart then started to turn down the music by 9:00 p.m. to accommodate her neighbors.
However, many complained to the city council to reduce the amount of lights. Stewart accepted the controversy, and still encouraged her neighbors to enjoy the display instead of fight it.
What do you think of this Christmas-lights extravaganza? How would you feel if a neighbor did this? Let us know in the comments!
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