It is that time of year where most of you are beginning to pull down your Christmas display (or at least thinking about it). Another year is (almost) over and, if it is anything like down here, you're probably already thinking of ideas for your 2018 lights display! 
With 2018 on the mind, this has me thinking... what kinds of things are planned here on the forum and around the site?
The Site (in general)
2017 was a significant milestone for us moving away from the original forum platform that we have used since the beginning of AusChristmasLighting to the current XenForo-based forum system. This new XenForo system has itself been undergoing a complete rewrite by its developers with a number of welcomed changes coming, including simplified new thread creation and further mobile view enhancements, just to name a few.
In 2018, we'll be reviewing the changes introduced by the forum rewrite, with the plan to move the site over to the new, second version of the XenForo system once all the various features and areas we use are made compatible with the upgrade. As at this moment, only some things are compatible.
101 Manual
A third edition update is in the works and this will be published in early 2018. This update is a collective effort among a small group of AusChristmasLighting members. You might like to hold off printing a hard copy of the current second edition for the time being.
Mini Christmas Expos
A weekend together with a room full of other people with CLAP, what could go wrong? Discussions among site members have already started for 2018 Mini weekends in some states, and certain other states may follow over the next couple of months. If you'd like to attend a Mini, consider watching (subscribing to) the Mini Christmas Expos forum and wiki area (tick child pages) to receive alerts (and optionally, email notifications). Topics for overseas Minis are also welcome.
As mini attendance registration opens, please remember to click the green "Register for this event" button in the first post of the relevant Mini discussion(s) to confirm your spot for the Mini(s) you plan to attend.
Minis are organised by one or more AusChristmasLighting members. With different interests and experience among the organisers, presenters, attendees from one mini to another, these weekends tend to run a bit differently from state to state and year to year.
Bulk Buys
Don't forget about potential bulk buys! Whilst I don't have any inside details on upcoming buys, historically they have occasionally taken place early in the year. So check back in from time-to-time to avoid missing out.
Happy (almost) New Year!
With 2018 on the mind, this has me thinking... what kinds of things are planned here on the forum and around the site?
The Site (in general)
2017 was a significant milestone for us moving away from the original forum platform that we have used since the beginning of AusChristmasLighting to the current XenForo-based forum system. This new XenForo system has itself been undergoing a complete rewrite by its developers with a number of welcomed changes coming, including simplified new thread creation and further mobile view enhancements, just to name a few.
In 2018, we'll be reviewing the changes introduced by the forum rewrite, with the plan to move the site over to the new, second version of the XenForo system once all the various features and areas we use are made compatible with the upgrade. As at this moment, only some things are compatible.
101 Manual
A third edition update is in the works and this will be published in early 2018. This update is a collective effort among a small group of AusChristmasLighting members. You might like to hold off printing a hard copy of the current second edition for the time being
.Mini Christmas Expos
A weekend together with a room full of other people with CLAP, what could go wrong?
Discussions among site members have already started for 2018 Mini weekends in some states, and certain other states may follow over the next couple of months. If you'd like to attend a Mini, consider watching (subscribing to) the Mini Christmas Expos forum and wiki area (tick child pages) to receive alerts (and optionally, email notifications). Topics for overseas Minis are also welcome.As mini attendance registration opens, please remember to click the green "Register for this event" button in the first post of the relevant Mini discussion(s) to confirm your spot for the Mini(s) you plan to attend.
Minis are organised by one or more AusChristmasLighting members. With different interests and experience among the organisers, presenters, attendees from one mini to another, these weekends tend to run a bit differently from state to state and year to year.
Bulk Buys
Don't forget about potential bulk buys! Whilst I don't have any inside details on upcoming buys, historically they have occasionally taken place early in the year. So check back in from time-to-time to avoid missing out.
Happy (almost) New Year!
