Thanks. Looks like I'm getting some new deer. My story is that PETA (People for euthanizing tiny animals) wanted to liberate the deer, but couldn't figure out how to get them unplugged (because I tape all my plugs).
So, knowing the deer would rather be dead than trapped in my christmas display, they humanely decapitated many of them, leaving their heads scattered around the yard to warn other deer to stay away.
They did however try to escape with some antlers, which I found on another street.
Tonight I will try to re-assemble the deer and see how many lights I can get back up and running. In the meantime I'm looking for last-minute sales. I might also simply pull all the really damaged light strings off the deer, and after christmas try to figure out a way to attach new strands of lights.
My daughter is actually much sadder than I am. They also kicked a few deer. One of the babies was beheaded, but doesn't look otherwise damaged.
So I'm off to find new deer, and to pick up paint.
And EXCELLENT color identification. I just dug up the paint can from last year, and sure enough it was amber. Some were painted other colors first, and then overpainted to give them different looks, I was trying brown for a while but my daughter said it was way too dark.
I may post pictures of the carnage tonight.
FOrtunately, they were only interested in the deer, and did not cause any major damage to anything else.
Don't stoopid vandals just pi$$ you off? I'll have to try that amber paint thing. I think bright white lights on our front bushes are nice, but sometimes deer look a little TOO bright. I don't have any critters in the yard, just the lights on the greenery, but someday I'd like to have some. I'd even like to get a little lighted flamingo to annoy the next door neighbor. ;o)