In message , Adrian C
writes
A quick holiday snap before placing these lights in hibernation for
another year.

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac327/turnstyler/DSC_02771_zps2f8ce90c.jpg

Purchased in 1980 for £2.99, made in taiwan, used yearly, rare
failures, push fit bulbs, carefullly packed away.

Sleep tight little ones ... ;-)

It really is sad to see them disappear for another 49 weeks. Then the
trouble is finding them.

With one of my older set of lights, I used to wind them up on the
expired Radio Times (a special once-a-year purchase for the Christmas /
New Year fortnight). Plus a final switch on before putting them to bed.
When the time came to unwind them again, it's surprising how many times
they failed to work (usually a loose bulb). [Who knows what they get up
to when they're all packed away, and no one's looking!] When next
Christmas came around, it was interesting to have a quick comparison of
this year's and last year's Radio Times, and see how many of the TV
programmes were exactly the same as the previous Christmas.
--
Ian