Homes aglow with Xmas spirit

It always started with “we’ll just buy one set” and before you know it mum and dad are scouring the shopping isles for the “one set” to add to thousands of lights making their house stand out.

Linda King, at 39 Mountford Cres in Albury, started with one set and admitted to becoming addicted as soon as the neighbourhood’s children started converging on her lawn.

“I know I shouldn’t keep buying them, my husband doesn’t think we need any more, but it just keeps getting bigger and bigger every year,” she said.

“It’s just so much fun.”

Kathy and Adrian Goodall, at 52 Charles St in Wodonga, have 35,000 lights.

They started collecting 11 years ago and have been putting theirs up since July, making sure each one gets two coats of paint before being switched on.

“The other night a little boy jumped out of the car, ran up and stood at the gate with his legs wide apart and just went ‘Wow!’,” Mrs Goodall laughed.

The couple are selling singing door mats ($15) and LED hand-held Christmas lights ($6) to raise money for multiple sclerosis, having raised $5000 last year for other charities.

Greg Gillam, at 8 Marshall St in Wodonga, didn’t necessarily start lights for the kids – he’s a big kid himself.

A dedicated Simpsons fan, Mr Gillam built a Santa-dressed Homer popping out of the chimney five years ago and has now added the whole Simpsons family.

“At first we did it for a bit of a laugh, but all the local kids got so much enjoyment from it we decided to go all out this year,” he said.

Dave and Bernie Squires, at 425 Kaitlers Rd in Lavington, started their lights campaign wholely and solely for their children but said it was great that other people enjoyed it too.