- Title: Sydney homes dazzle with Christmas light displays despite power cost
- Date: 6th December 2022
- Summary: MOUNT ANNAN, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (RECENT - DECEMBER 4, 2022) (REUTERS) FLASHING CHRISTMAS LIGHT SIGN READING (English): "SANTA STOP HERE" VARIOUS OF CHRISTMAS LIGHT DISPLAY WITH MOVING REINDEER IN RESIDENT'S FRONT YARD VARIOUS OF LOCAL RESIDENT ROLAND MCAVOY (DRESSED AS ELF) SPEAKING TO MAN DRESED AS SANTA CLAUS PEOPLE AND CARS MOVING PAST DECORATED HOUSES MCAVOY AND MAN DRESSED AS SANTA TALKING TO PEOPLE IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOCAL RESIDENT, ROLAND MCAVOY, SAYING: "So I enjoy doing it and when I see the smiles on the kid's faces I think it is so good. That's what it's all about in this world, too much sadness, a little smile on a little kid's face makes it all worthwhile." ONLOOKER TAKING PHOTO OF PEOPLE POSING WITH MAN DRESSED AS SANTA LIT UP CHRISTMAS KOALA MAN DRESSED AS SANTA WAVING TO WOMAN WITH BABY (SOUNDBITE) (English) VISITOR, DIANA TODIC, SAYING: "They just invoke our childhood memories really of Christmas lights and that's what I want to give my daughter." VARIOUS OF FRONT YARD LIT UP WITH FLUORESCENT CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AND FAKE SNOW FLUORESCENT PENGUIN MCAVOY TAKING PHOTO OF WOMAN POSING WITH MAN DRESSED AS SANTA (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOCAL RESIDENT ROLAND MCAVOY, SAYING: "Well most of them are 12 volts so it's not too bad. So, it works out around about normal winter electricity bill. So it's not too bad at all. And a lot of these are solar as well so the sun pays for it, not my son, the sun." VARIOUS OF HOUSE LIT UP FOR CHRISTMAS WITH INFLATABLE SANTAS AND NUTCRACKER LIT UP WREATH ON FRONT DOOR PEOPLE LOOKING LOOKING AT LIT UP HOUSE CHILDREN PLAYING WITH DECORATIONS (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOCAL RESIDENT, BRAD TAMASKAR, SAYING: "Well we've been living in this area for 20 years so I think this is the joy of Christmas time, so we never miss it. And I think we start early to see if we can get there before it gets too busy. So my son is 11 now, so we have been coming here since before he was born so he absolutely loves it." SANTA LIGHT INSTALLATION WITH FALLING SNOW IN LAMP POST VARIOUS OF TENANT, BEN FEE, TAKING ELECTRICITY PANELS OUT OF BOX (SOUNDBITE) (English) TENANT, BEN FEE, SAYING: "Oh we weren't really thinking about it (energy costs), like you sort of turn them on and you see a dark spot and you just put more up so I think we'll just deal with that when it comes. So we'll probably get evicted, you know, we won't be here next year." HOUSE DECORATED WITH CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND INFLATABLES INFLATABLE DECORATIONS OF SANTA RIDING A DRAGON (SOUNDBITE) (English) HOMEOWNER ANNE THOMAS, SAYING: (ASKED IF INFLATION HAS INCREASED THE COST OF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS) "Oh absolutely, we are really running on the bare minimum this year, we haven't replaced a lot of them because we are waiting for the sales after Christmas now, yeah. So we are just going on what we have had for quite a while." LIT UP TINSEL SNOWMAN ON ROOF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TWINKLING HOUSE LIT UP WITH CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND INFLATABLES (SOUNDBITE) (English) HOMEOWNER ALAN PAGE, SAYING: "The fulfilment level is seeing it all work, being able to put it together and see it actually working, that's one thing. And just all the kids coming in and seeing it, and you know the comments you get of how nice it looks. So it's well worthwhile, it's just for a month." LIGHT INSTALLATION READING (English): "MERRY CHRISTMAS" HOUSE DECORATED WITH CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SNOWFLAKE LIGHT INSTALLATION
- Embargoed: 20th December 2022 08:15
- Keywords: Australia Christmas Christmas lights Christmas season Sydney Ukraine energy crisis light installations lights power prices suburbs
- Location: MOUNT ANNAN, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
- City: MOUNT ANNAN, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
- Country: Australia
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Human Interest/Brights/Odd News,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001417403122022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Homes in Sydney's south west thrilled onlookers with dazzling Christmas light displays on Sunday (December 4), bringing the Christmas spirit to the suburbs regardless of the high costs of electricity.
In the suburb of Mount Annan, homes were decorated with thousands of string lights, fluorescent installations, inflatables and numerous Christmas-themed pieces for onlookers to enjoy.
Dressed as an elf and standing in front of his home to welcome visitors, retiree and local resident Roland McAvoy said spending a month to carefully put his display together is worth the joy it brings to people.
"I enjoy doing it and when I see the smiles on the kid's faces I think it is so good. That's what it's all about in this world, too much sadness, a little smile on a little kid's face makes it all worthwhile," McAvoy told Reuters.
The Australian government on Tuesday (December 6) delayed a key meeting of federal and state leaders called to discuss measures to contain soaring power prices after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tested positive for COVID-19, but power prices didn't bother McAvoy.
"Well most of them are 12 volts so it's not too bad. So it works out around about normal winter electricity bill. So it's not too bad at all. And a lot of these are solar as well so the sun pays for it, not my son, the sun," he said laughing.
Onlookers were overjoyed with the various displays, either driving or walking the length of properties to get a better look and take photos with their friends and families.
With a front yard filled with lights and giant Christmas-themed inflatables tenant Ben Fee also wasn't counting the cost.
"We weren't really thinking about it, like you sort of turn them on and you see a dark spot and you just put more up so I think we'll just deal with that when it comes," he said when asked about his power bill.
Some residents were more careful with their spending, local Anne Thomas said that with rising inflation Christmas lights have also increased in price.
"We are really running on the bare minimum this year, we haven't replaced a lot of them because we are waiting for the sales after Christmas now yeah. So we are just going on what we have had for quite a while," she told Reuters from her lit up home.
Australia's national cabinet was expected to meet on Wednesday (December 7), with Albanese looking to forge consensus between the states and Canberra on reducing energy prices, which have risen sharply due to Russia's war in Ukraine.
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