With a yawn, a volunteer in a Santa cap stood outside Jamie and Karen Loggins’ home on Vista Drive in Auburn on Sunday, wearily staring at the line of cars. Since news of the Loggins’ ebullient Christmas esplanade hit the news, this quiet cul-de-sac has experienced traffic jams to make any commuter apoplectic.

After sundown, the queue to experience the Loggins’ Christmas lightstravaganza chokes the short Vista Drive. On Sunday, a solemn procession of sport utility vehicles, trucks, vans and sedans spent 30 minutes wending its way around the development. In one lengthy and loaded people-carrier, kids pressed their noses against the windows, their mouths agape and fingers pointing toward the show.

On Monday, the lights went out. We can’t blame them for shutting down; just as one bad bulb will cause a string of lights to darken, a few bad actors can make everyone suffer.

They did on Monday, and now an impressive display of holiday spirit has been spoiled.

The Loggins created a Christmas display for the 21st century: an interactive product that relies on the convergence of text, audio and visuals to create the most stimulating “multimedia” experience for its users. Christmas 2.0, as it were.

(On the popular video Web site YouTube, a 58-second clip of the Vista Drive lights is introduced with the following youthful superlative: “White XMAS DECKED OUT BLING BLING.” The display also has its own online home, www.auburnlights.com, which contains a map, message board, weather forecast and the lights’ schedule.)

Amidst all this quality Christmas quirk, though, there were troubling signs.

Police were notified of scuffling on Vista Drive, stemming from an idiotic conflict over parking to view the lights. Adults and children, dressed in dark-colored clothing, walked down the dangerous Park Street, which feeds Vista Drive, instead of adding to the traffic jam.

Dark nights, traffic and pedestrians are disaster’s recipe, as are displays of aggression during what’s supposed to be a cheery holiday errand.

An accident, or incident, along Vista Drive was the surefire way to ensure the lights disappeared forever, which is perhaps what happened on Monday, and sends the message to these new Maine residents that Lewiston-Auburn can’t even enjoy Christmas lights peacefully.

The Loggins didn’t want that. These displays have been their holiday tradition.

“Unfortunately, we’ve spent the last three Christmases in three states,” Jamie Loggins told the Sun Journal. “We’re hoping to be here and build on what we started.” We still hope they do.

The public needs to be safe, responsible and patient around the neighborhood of Vista Drive, and let the Loggins’ light shine for years to come.