Mark & Debbie’s Christmas Lights 2015
Well, I think the last of the Christmas displays have probably been taken down by now. Don’t worry we’re not complaining, we had ours down by the 5th too! But that doesn’t mean we don’t miss them. So we thought (just in case some of you were missing them too) we’d share another of our favourite displays from 2015.
This one comes from Debbie Scott in Abingdon and her partner Mark. Each year Debbie and Mark make a fun and vibrant display to help make their road more festive.
This year they decided to collect money for Against Breast Cancer.
Using this Just Giving page and a collection box outside the garden they have already raised over £1,000!
So we thought before she closed the donation page, we would ask Debbie a few questions about her display.
- FL: Why do you love Christmas?
DS: It’s the perfect time to recharge the batteries after the long, hectic year. My partner Mark is off from Christmas until the New Year so we like to make the most of it and spend time with family.
- FL: How long have you been doing your display for?
DS: Since Mark and I met we always did a display in the front garden but just for fun. So we’ve been dabbling in Christmas lights for about 15 years now.
- FL: what made you choose this year’s charity?
DS: I saw some pink tinsel and baubles in the sale last January and thought I’d mention the pink theme to Mark. He agreed so we went from there, chose breast cancer as the cause and found a small charity in Abingdon, Against Breast Cancer.
- FL: How much has the display grown over the years?
DS: We used to have a great garden centre where they sold loads of rope light figures, animated reindeer, really novel display items. We were there as soon as the Christmas lights went on sale. Picked the best stuff. We put a few in the front garden, a couple on the roof and some icicle lights on the gutter. We were the only ones to do it in our road. It was nice but looking back, quite tacky. Then we moved house and decided that the old lights weren’t up to scratch so they were relegated to the back garden and we got some classy stuff instead. Over the last 8 years the display has become more stylish and less tacky. It would be easy to go down that road again though but we have to stop ourselves from buying just any old lights.
- FL: What is your favourite thing about doing a large display?
DS: The reaction from everyone who comes to see it. Thanking us, saying that their children, parents, friends love it. When we are putting the decorations out in the garden we are constantly asked “when is the switch on?”
- FL: How many lights (approximately) did your display have last year?
DS: We’ve never counted the lights but to give you an idea…
We have 6 rope light lamps, one pink rope light, numerous reindeer, two lengths of lights on each of the 5 trees we decorate with the themed colour, about 20 lengths of creamy white lights in all the bushes, 20 sets of meteor lights on the gutter, 20 sets of icicle lights on the gutter, the new shooting star lights, 40ish sets of lights on the roof, the new penguins, the new rabbit, the snowman, Santa climbing up the drainpipe, a long Merry Christmas sign, two penguins on the porch, then the icicle and meteor lights in the tree in the street! I think that’s it. We also have decorations in the garden and living room.
- FL: When do you start planning for your Christmas display?
DS: We talk about changes whilst taking down the display in January, put notes in with the lights so we are reminded of our ideas when we get the boxes down end of October/beginning of November. Then we change it all!
- FL: How much does your electricity bill increase by around Christmas?
DS: Approx £100. We have asked for a discount from our energy supplier but the meanies won’t give us one! We take nothing from the donations for the electricity or any new lights we buy.
- FL: Finally Can everyone expect to see your display again in 2016, if so what changes will you make?
DS: Yes, the deputy mayor can’t wait to see it, the town crier is coming to announce the switch on again. We will be doing it again for
Against Breast Cancer. Not sure about changes but it will be a super display again!
I hope you enjoyed this post and liked hearing about Debbie’s display. There’s still time to donate to Against Breast Cancer on Debbie’s Just Giving page.
The deputy mayor and town crier at Mark and Debbie’s switch on.
Photos of Mark and Debbie’s lights at their old house.
If you have a large display and would like to be featured in one of our next case studies please send us an email to [email protected].
