A spectrum of lights

Patrick and Josephine Selle with their 2-year-old son Samuel. (Damjan Janevski) 378857_04

Along Spectrum Drive in Fraser Rise, neighbours have come together to transform the street into a festive wonderland with an enchanting display of Christmas lights.

This year, Josephine made her debut into the world of Christmas decorations. A decision she says started with the purchase of a four metre nutcracker, “and hasn’t stopped since.”

“There is something truly magical about Christmas lights and the feeling of joy it gives you when welcoming this festive time of year,” Josephine said.

“Creating something special and magical for people to enjoy has been a blessing. We haven’t slowed down because of the amazing people who drive by or come out to say hello to us.”

For Josephine and her family, being able to bring smiles and happy moments to people of all ages is their highlight of getting involved in the festive spirit.

“Our whole street has jumped onboard and decorated their houses. It’s magical to walk down and enjoy all the beautiful lights and feel the spirit of Christmas come alive,” she said.

Josephine said the community response has been overwhelming. What started in early November with a modest number of visitors has evolved into a nightly gathering of families and friends. With families often taking the opportunity to capture the moment with photos, particularly next to the dancing Santa on the porch of Josephine’s house.

The process of setting up the outdoor decorations was no small feat for this first-time decorating family. The project spanned six weeks, involving weekends spent exploring various stores for supplies such as sticky tape, nails, hammers, and ‘endless materials’ to pull it all together.

“Our three little kids have taken on the decorating with us and it has been heart-warming to watch them dedicate so many days and evenings to setting the house up, preparing lollies and chocolates for visitors who come to see our house and welcoming them with so many smiles,“ she said.

“We have created a beautiful tradition with our kids that we know we will continue every year and look forward to watching them grow.

“We love Christmas but after this year we have definitely become fanatics. Our children have become more of experts than us.“

For those planning a visit, Santa himself will be making special appearances on Saturday, December 23, and Sunday, December 24. Santa will be cancelled if it rains but the lights will still remain on.

Hannah Hammoud