Let it glow, let it glow, let it glow
The Christmas decorations that brings resident's to a standstill.
DRIVING through Somerset Drive on a December evening will leave you wondering if you’d somehow been transported into a winter wonderland, albeit in the heat of a Durban evening.
Colourful, sparkling and twinkling lights line the walls and edges of one of the homes, giving the appearance of a wondrous palace. The halls have been decked with more than just holly and a Christmas tree fills the living room; however, it’s the outside of the home that grabs your attention with it’s luminous attractions.
From Santa’s sleigh, complete with a moving reindeer, to a Christmas-themed Snoopy hanging out on the post box, or Darth Vader getting his Christmas on, there are few homes in Durban North that can compete with the Munsami family’s.
What’s more, every night the home is lit up spectacularly from 7pm with anything from 15 to 20 cars parked by the roadside admiring the view. For 11 months of the year, the road is known for it’s manicured lawns and green tiled roofs.
Come the start of December, however, the street changes beyond recognition. This isn’t just a few twinkling stars and a random polar bear on the roof. The visual treat features more than 150 different twinkling bulbs and decorations.
Northglen News recently spoke to Vasu Munsmai, the man behind the visual creation.
“I’ve always been fascinated with lights and it all started in 2006 with the ‘Big Switch On’ competition in which people sent in pictures of their houses. People voted for the best house and we were the lucky winners, and that really sparked what you see today. Every year, my family and I install new decorations. I order a lot of the lights online and I’m always on the lookout for new ideas.”
“When we decorated the house the first year, we didn’t expect the overwhelming positive response from the community.”
“So many of them would stop on the side of the road to have a look and bring their children in to have a look. It’s just wonderful because you see the impact of what they are seeing in their smiles. We recently had a little child write us a letter to say how much he loved visiting our home.”
“I wanted to share the Christmas spirit with other people.”
While he loves the Christmas Darth Vader, Vasu’s favourite decoration is the lit inflatable Father Christmas on the roof, which features him climbing down the chimney.
His wife, Lallie, and daughters, Niki and Lisa, say they feel the lights capture the essence of Christmas.
Check out our gallery of the Musami home.
