Passing on a little holiday inspiration

COSHOCTON - Matt and Valerie Miller said neighbors who they don't know inspired them to launch their own digital Christmas lights display for the modern era.

Driving around looking at Christmas lights is a tradition for many, including the Millers. When their teenage daughters, Madison and Grace, saw the display by Travis and Erin Slaughter at 1720 Evergreen Park Drive three years ago, they practically demanded their parents do the same. The Slaughters were featured in the Tribune last year.

"We enjoy riding around looking at Christmas lights and were just blown away when you could tune into your radio (to hear songs). We thought it was some fun to be had for our own family," Valerie said. "It's the tradition of driving around and looking at the beauty of our town and how many people celebrate in whatever way they choose to."

Both have showcases featuring digital lights blinking in time to music listeners can hear through their car radios via a small transmitter. The Millers tunes can be found at 90.1 and they live at 2050 Buena Vista Drive, less than a mile from the Slaughters. There's about 16 songs with different light flashing programs. The display runs from dark to 11 p.m. every night and will be up through the first week of January.

Last year was the first for the Millers display. They had about 10,000 mini-LED lights and upped the number by 8,000 more this Christmas. Valerie said one gets some strange looks at the store when you go through with so many lights. They've inspired Matt's sister who launched her own display this year on Wandle Drive.

It has become a family project with Grace, 17, and Madison, a freshman at Ohio Wesleyan University, pitching in. The Millers also have an older son, Andrew.

"The girls did not forget, but we forgot," Valerie said of the promise to create their own display. "Madison's whole thing last year was 'it's my last Christmas at home before I go to college' and that just pulled right at the heartstrings."

Matt watched YouTube videos to get ideas. He came upon Animated Lighting, a company that offered expandable control systems for lighting displays. They have 16 sections of lighting that go independently into what Matt calls the brain that runs it all. It took about four days to get everything up and ready this year.

"You have to draw it out on a map," Matt said of keeping everything straight. "In order to get it to look right and run with the music, you've got to lay it all out. Every single color in every single section has to have its own extension cord."

Since about the start of December vehicles sit out on their street while the Millers' golden retriever sits and watches them through the curtains.

"When they roll their windows down to video it for Snapchat or whatever, we'll hear the music inside the house because they have it really loud in their car," Valerie said. "We have some families who tell us their kids make us go by our house every night."

They used to do a simple display with spotlights and wreaths, what Grace called boring. She always wanted them do something bigger and more festive.

"It was definitely driven by our girls, but once I started getting into it, I was like 'yeah, we're going to do this,'" Matt said. "We get people who send us messages and things. It's fun. It gives them a little joy at Christmas."

llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com

@llhayhurst

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