By Jeffery Hunt
The Christmas Season means Santa Claus, snow, presents, family and decorating the apartment with enough lights that it can be seen from space ... or at least from campus.
That is what Colby Rampton and his roommates did. They live three blocks south of campus, yet the warm glow of colorful Christmas lights from their apartment cuts through the cold winter air bringing Christmas cheer as far as Maeser Hill.
'We were thinking since it''s the holiday season, we would celebrate Christmas with our lights,' said Rampton, a senior from Eagle River, Alaska.
Though he decorated with lots of lights last year, the colorful display this year is more elaborate.
Over Thanksgiving break, the roommates, with occasional help from a few fellow residents, blanketed not only the exterior of their six-man apartment with a tapestry of Christmas lights, but also the interior.
'My roommate, Dustin, and I spent between 50 and 60 man hours decorating,' Rampton said. 'We have a tree, snow, a warm fire-just like a usual Christmas, but it''s all made with lights.'
After seeing Rampton and his roommates'' Christmas decorating zeal, a ward member suggested they get a real Christmas tree in their apartment. Instead, they grabbed a few strands of lights, a few handfuls of tacks and pinned a Christmas tree design right on their living room wall.
It stands to the left of their Christmas light fireplace and is over six feet tall.
'I seriously believe our Christmas tree is about 27 or 28 times cooler than your average Christmas tree,' Rampton said. When asked why his tree is particularly that much cooler, he said he is an accounting major and knows his numbers.
He does.
Rampton said he used more than 65 strands of lights. Some were 30 feet in length with a 100 lights per strand. Others were longer with 200 lights per strand.
'Total footage of lights, we''re at 2,082 feet,' he said. 'That''s about 8,000 lights.'
Christmas lights were not the only expense for Rampton and his roommates. He said he used 65 yards of duct tape, and 850 tacks.
'So, assuming we made a few mistakes placing the tacks,' he said, 'by the end of the Christmas Season, there will be about a thousand holes in the walls.'
He only decorated in the living room.
He said he is not worried what management will say about the now pincushion walls, because he hopes they will not notice.
But they will notice the increase in electric bill. Especially when residents of Rampton''s apartment complex do not pay utilities.
'Our manager saw the lights, and said she would raise our rent,' Rampton said. 'But then she was kidding. But future residents will probably be signing at higher rates because of our electricity bills.'
In total, the decorative stunt cost the roommates $135, a cost they will split.
'My parents also helped a bit,' Rampton said. 'My parents and roommates were all willing to do anything to raise our value as far as dating status with women.'
After many hours, many dollars and many lights, Rampton is optimistic about how his creativity will affect his dating.
'Nothing has happened yet,' he said. 'It''s one of those ''you''ve got to plant the seed before you can harvest'' things. I''ve noticed the girls are slowing down as they walk by our lights. It''s only a matter of time before one of them gets sucked in.'
Amanda Richard, a senior from Edmond, Okla. and neighbor, helped string the lights. A few strands are wired to her apartment with extension cords.
'Apparently, our circuits are not as strong as theirs,' she said. 'Whenever we turn on our microwave, it trips our breaker.'
She said she and her roommates have to unplug the lights to use the microwave, then plug the lights back in when their finished.
'I don''t mind,' Richard said. 'I''m all about the Christmas spirit.'
Shiree Mahoney, a junior at UVSC, said she finds the lighted display relaxing.
'Sometimes, I just lie down on the couch, pull up the blinds and it''s my own private Temple Square,' she said, comparing the annual Christmas light display in downtown Salt Lake City to Rampton''s.
Brenon Christensen, a senior from Eagle River, Alaska and roommate to Rampton, said he helped string the lights and enjoys the tradition.
'It''s possible I will continue this the rest of my life,' he said.
Rampton also plans on keeping the tradition the rest of his life. He has already designed bigger and better things for next year.
'Then I will be working full-time and can spend more money,' he said. 'It reminds me of the scripture, ''let your light so shine.'''