From the left:  Shelly Skaggs, Becky Burris, Mayor Seth Goodman, Alderwoman Michelle Bauer, and Alderman Ron Keller
 

Skaggs Family Light Show recognized as Lincoln's December Home of the Month

[December 20, 2017]   LINCOLN - On Thursday morning, Lincoln Mayor Seth Goodman was joined by Aldermen Michelle Bauer and Ron Keller in awarding the Skaggs Family Light Show as the December Home of the Month.

Jeff and Shelly Skaggs decorate their home for Christmas (and also Halloween), then set the lights to music. Those out looking at lights can park in front of the home and tune their radios to 104.3 FM to get the full impact of the dancing lights. Shelly Skaggs was joined on Thursday by Becky Burris who helped put the light show together this year.

Shelly said that her husband absolutely loves Christmas decorations and lights, and is the primary reason why the family does the annual light show.

She said that some of the decorations in the yard are items Jeff has had since he was a kid. She said that while some of the decorations are "vintage" others are new. The couple shops a variety of places to add to their show, including hitting up the after Christmas sales each year.

Sometimes, Shelly said, decorations kind of just find them. For example, she said Jeff found one lying alongside the road.

Shelly explained that each year, the lights are arranged and plugged into a central control box. That box is connected to the family's home computer, and she can program the lights to dance to particular music. She said that she selects the music that will play and downloads it into the show software.

She also has a program to search out unused bandwidth on FM radio. All she has to do is find a frequency that no one is using, and then she ties her program to that frequency so that motorists can hear the music from the warmth of their vehicles.

The Skaggs family will have the Lincoln Home of the Month sign displayed int heir front yard for the rest of December. They were also given a gift card by Mayor Goodman.

Anyone interested in seeing the home, it is located at 605 Fifth Street.

[Nila Smith]