by Jordan, age 9, asks about professional light installation cost, the Sonoran Desert, and Phoenix’s growth
Dear Santa,
Hi Santa, from Phoenix. My name is Jordan and I am 9 years old. Our neighbour hires a company every year to hang his lights, because he says he is far too scared of ladders, and honestly after watching him nearly fall off his roof once, I completely understand why.
My first question is: how much does professional Christmas light installation typically cost?
My second question is geography: what desert is Phoenix located in?
My third question is from school: why has Phoenix grown to be one of the largest cities in the United States?
I left you a slice of prickly pear cactus jelly on toast, very Arizona.
Love, Jordan, age 9, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
From the Desk of Father Christmas
Dear Jordan, prickly pear jelly was a delightfully local treat, tangy and sweet. Now, to help explain your neighbour’s wise ladder avoidance, and your other questions.
How much does professional light installation cost?
Prices vary quite a bit depending on the size of the house, the complexity of the design, and the region, but professional installers typically charge based on either a flat project fee or the length of roofline and features being covered. Costs generally scale from a modest amount for a simple, single-story home up to a considerably larger sum for bigger houses with elaborate designs, sometimes including takedown service in January as well. Many companies also offer to store the lights afterward, saving the homeowner the hassle of packing them away, which for someone like your neighbour, nervous about ladders, is probably worth every penny.
What desert is Phoenix located in?
Phoenix sits in the Sonoran Desert, one of the hottest and most biologically diverse deserts in North America, home to the towering saguaro cactus found almost nowhere else on Earth.
Why has Phoenix grown so large?
Phoenix expanded rapidly over the past several decades thanks to the widespread arrival of air conditioning, which made the intense desert heat far more manageable year round, combined with affordable land and a strong job market that attracted many new residents. That combination transformed Phoenix from a smaller desert town into one of the largest cities in the entire country.
Tell your neighbour to stay safely off that ladder, and I shall see you very soon.
Ho ho ho, Santa
