Annual Christmas Display
Copeland became a local celebrity in New Orleans through his annual Christmas light display. Many national media organizations have ranked the display, most notably the Today show, which ranked it in the top three. In the display's heyday, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office provided traffic control, and cars would back-up into surrounding subdivisions. While Copeland's display was the main attraction, surrounding homes also contributed to the atmosphere, and foot-traffic between displays and neighborhood parties was significant. Not all neighbors were pleased with the annual festivities, and in 1983 he was sued by his neighbors to remove the display. In 1991, a judge permitted Copeland to display a scaled-down version of the display. Copeland's display not only had elaborate lights, but he also would usually park his luxurious and exotic cars in front of his driveway. He provided free popcorn, candy, and children's toys during his final years. In 2008, the display was markedly toned down after he died. The annual display at his residence near Lake Pontchartrain will now stop and be moved to a park. New Orleans newspaper columnist Chris Rose, on informing his children of Copeland's death stated, "I realized it was like telling a kid that Santa Claus was dead."
Read more about this topic: Al Copeland
Famous quotes containing the words annual, christmas and/or display:
“...there was the annual Fourth of July picketing at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. ...I thought it was ridiculous to have to go there in a skirt. But I did it anyway because it was something that might possibly have an effect. I remember walking around in my little white blouse and skirt and tourists standing there eating their ice cream cones and watching us like the zoo had opened.”
—Martha Shelley, U.S. author and social activist. As quoted in Making History, part 3, by Eric Marcus (1992)
“He asked if I would sell my Christmas trees;
My woods the young fir balsams like a place
Where houses all are churches and have spires.
I hadn’t thought of them as Christmas trees.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“In the early forties and fifties almost everybody “had about enough to live on,” and young ladies dressed well on a hundred dollars a year. The daughters of the richest man in Boston were dressed with scrupulous plainness, and the wife and mother owned one brocade, which did service for several years. Display was considered vulgar. Now, alas! only Queen Victoria dares to go shabby.”
—M. E. W. Sherwood (1826–1903)