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Brandt Well, I enjoy looking at Christmas decorations, and I enjoy hearing compliments about people enjoying them. I get to see people standing out in front of my house and watching it with their kids and then I get a nice little warm feeling inside.

QAdding sound to a Christmas lights display is a very recent innovation, and still quite rare. Why did you feel your display needed an audio component?

Brandt I thought it would be interesting to have the lights flash to Christmas music. I just thought that concept was cool.

QHow did the conflict with your neighbour first arise?

Brandt It was in the afternoon on the weekend, and I only had the tree playing for a couple hours when she came over, knocked on my door and told me to turn it off, she said she could hear it over her TV. So I did. And then the second time I’m showing people and she’s complaining again, telling me it’s unacceptable, it’s too loud and all that.

QAnd what was your response?

Brandt I just told her to give me a bit of a break. It’s Christmas. It’s not like I’ll have it constantly playing, that’s what I told her. And then six hours later I hear the cops show up. They knock on my door and they say “we’re here for a noise complaint.” And I’m giving them this dirtiest look like “what are you talking about? It’s like quiet here.” And then they say it was from this afternoon and then I say “oh, I know what you mean now; it’s my Christmas tree in the backyard.”

QDid the arrival of law enforcement bring an end to the Christmas tunes?