Light sculptures
Christmas light sculptures, also called motifs, are used as Christmas
decorations and for other holidays.
Originally, these were large wireframe metalwork pieces
made for public displays, such as for a municipal
government to place on utility
poles, and shopping centers to
place on lampposts. Since the
1990s, these are also made in small plastic home versions that can be hung
in a window, or on a door or wall.
Framed motifs can be lit using mini lights or ropelight, and larger scale
motifs and sculptures may use C7 bulbs.
Light sculptures can be either flat (most common) or three-dimensional.
Flat sculptures are the motifs, and are often on metal frames, but garland can
also be attached to outdoor motifs. Indoor motifs often have a
multicolored plastic backing sheet, sometimes holographic.
3D sculptures include deer or reindeer (evenmoose)
in various positions, and with or without antlers,
often with a motor to
move the head up and down or side to side as if grazing.
These and other 3D displays may be bare-frame, or be covered with garland,
looped and woven transparent plastic cord or acrylic,
or natural or goldtone-painted vines. Snowflakes are
a popular design for municipal displays, so as not to be misconstrued as a government endorsement ofreligion,
or so they can be left up all winter.
Some places make huge displays of these during December, such as Callaway
Gardens, Life University,
andLake Lanier Islands in the
U.S. state of Georgia. In east
Tennessee, the cities of Chattanooga, Sevierville,Pigeon
Forge, and Gatlinburg have
light sculptures up all winter.
Gatlinburg also has custom ones forValentine's Day and St.
Patrick's Day, while Pigeon Forge puts flowers on
its tall lampposts for spring, and for winter has a steamboat and
the famous picture of U.S.
Marines Raising the Flag on
Iwo Jima, in addition to the city's historic Old
Mill.
Some sculptures have microcontrollers that
sequence circuits of
lights, so that the object appears to be in motion. This is used for
things such as snowflakes falling, Santa
Claus waving, a peace dove flapping
itswings, or train wheels
rolling.