Jane, I was leery of them, and they aren't cheap..but they remained lit ..haven't made my way down there in the ice to retrieve them. You just set the timer to how long you want them on. Susan's lights look very bright..these are LED..so I don't know in comparison how they would look..but worth a try. Some people even have those Easter villages too.. I kept a set handy in case I want to use them for a centerpiece or something. If I pack them away I will never find them! Jane did you see those very thin fiber optic ones QVC had..they were adorable..but by they sold out before I could get to the computer to buy them. They suggested them for centerpieces..very light..no pun intended! :) I wonder how tall those houses are..you would have to be able to see over them if you used them down the middle of a table. They look large in the pic, but maybe it is just the angle of the camera. I will ask Susan. The few that I have are low..but really only one is a Dept 56, which was a gift... I just looked on line and even after Cmas they are still pricey..and then I would have to find room to store them... I am talking myself out of it..but Jane, you already have them..so I will wait for you to do it! LOL

OA.. I think you're right, they were probably last season's stock. You got a nice buy. The size is just perfect for a centerpiece and would look really nice with a Beach Theme. My Stop & Shop is selling dishes with an Embossed Shell Design (White on White), and I could see them with your sandcastle. Also some sea stars and shells around the table, and maybe sand pails at each place setting...ooooo >> lots of ideas. Please share with us, when you set it up...love to see it. jane

Oh my, Allison I am sorry! I wondered how your DD2 became engaged and married so fast :-( I should have known you would at least have posted a dress issue or something on the conversations board with all that wedding talk! Very sorry for that misunderstanding. But initially the posts that crossed over to houzz were not dated, so I had no idea the thread was four years old. Now I see they are dated, although in the faintest possible ink color. (Houzz must have mostly 20 and 30 something users with better eyesight.) At any rate, the groom may not have been a keeper but the flowers were lovely!

I don't know rule of thumb but my table is 60 inch so it's a lot smaller and I have a large Asian bowl, and a pair of double candlesticks and then about 12 to 16 inches left at either end. But that's because I spread them out. For just for looks you can go bigger than you would for a dinner party because no one is setting at the table!