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Once Christmas light fever takes hold, things can get competitive, as a group of neighbours on Waterside Crescent, Gulf Harbour, found out.
Seven years ago, when Pippa Macdonald moved in, she brought festive lights with her that had special significance. They were the last gift that her late husband John gave her before he died. She put them up and had enough to share with her neighbours.
Several years later, four other townhouse owners have joined in, and the lights are getting bigger and better every year.
Sue Bunce has gone out of her way to find some “mind blowing”, top of the range lights this year. She has wifi control over the lights via an app.
Mark Crosby added strings of lights to the street palm trees this year, which required a very long ladder and considerable time and trouble. He says his involvement came from “peer pressure” but in the best possible way.
“We egg each other on,” he says.
The neighbours agree that in the process, they have got to know each other, and also enjoy seeing the reactions of people who stop to look at the lights on their way down Laurie Southwick Parade.
Sue says one passer-by told her that now he’s seen their lights, his wife wants him to put some up too.
“It’s a great thing to see it spread,” she says.
The lights went up last month – “I know we’re early, but we are all so competitive, and we love it,” Sue says.
Lights fantastic
• Greg Sager of 39 Clea View in Gulf Harbour got the family’s light display on at the start of this month. He says some others have also started putting lights up in the street. Greg has redesigned the lights and upgraded to commercial standard to give better control of colour selection. The snow machine is back, joined by a bubble machine. Greg says on Christmas Eve they have a real fruit ice cream truck coming and maybe a few more surprises in the works as well.
• One of the most popular Christmas light displays is at Vista Motu in Red Beach, and there are also a number in Millwater.
