Each night this month Bronwyn Walker and her partner Dick Fleming finish their dinner, flick the switches and head outside to see hordes of people come up their driveway and walk around their section.
Like moths, they’re drawn to the light – the incredible light.
Bronwyn and Dick have once again entered the Light Up Nelson competition which sees homeowners don their houses in Christmas lights for the festive season.
The Tahunanui Drive home is one of the most popular homes in the competition and last year they took out the supreme award for the first time, after first entering in 2005.
This year the competition – run by radio station The Hits – will have two winners, one from the “country” and one from “town”.
The supreme winners will win $500 cash from Harcourts and a $150 Harvey Norman voucher.
There are also awards for people’s choice, best new entrant and a prize for a lucky voter.
Bronwyn says they first got into lighting up their house after her father handed down all his Christmas lights.
“We try to add to it every year, but sourcing the lights is hard.”
She says they spend about six weeks putting their display together, starting after they finish work for the day and only stopping for dinner. “We don’t add up the hours we spend on it, but it’s a lot. But seeing the kids’ faces makes it worthwhile,” she says.
She says they turn off the lights between 11 and 12 each night and spend most of the night on their driveway welcoming people and “keeping an eye on it all”.
For a map of all 19 homes that have entered the competition, visit www.lightupnelson.co.nz
