To guide Santa along on Christmas Eve, several streets in the two towns have strung up intricate light decorations and displays in their front yards for the annual Christmas light show.
This year, the Christmas Lights Map is sponsored by One Agency Your Place, and it has introduced a People's Choice award for the best display.
People can vote on their favourite display from December 1. More details can be found on the One Agency Your Place Facebook page.
Working hard to attract visitors to their display are Margaret and Bill Scott of 82 West Belt, Rangiora.
‘‘We started it five years ago, and it’s got bigger and bigger each year,’’ says Margaret
‘‘The public loves it because we always have many different themed displays going on all through the displays, which now reach from the front of the house to the back yard,’’ she says.
The couple have over 50 inflatable Santas and others on show, all doing different things.
The couple invite visitors to walk around the house, as there is plenty to see out back, with snow falling as well.
‘‘We change it every year.
‘‘We are already planning to hit the post-Christmas sales to find the bargains to show next year,’’ says Bill.
This year, Bill will also crank up the couple's mobile barbecue on December 15 when Santa comes a calling from 6 pm.
There will be free sausages on offer to visitors — weather dependent, of course and donations accepted.
Bill says his mother did some wonderful Christmas decorating in her home in Redwood for many years, while Margaret’s mum used to put a pair of Santa legs in the Camilla bush out front of her Kippenberger Ave property as a joke for passersbys.
Margaret says people have been loving their colourful Christmas displays each year.
Last year when they didn’t put one up because they were in Australia, there were many voicing their sadness on Facebook.
‘‘So we promised to come back bigger and better this year — and we did,’’ she says.
