[Video]: Roodepoort’s best Christmas lights

More than 28 000 LED-lights decorate a house in Witpendoring Street to which, since 1 December, dozens of parents and their children flocked to take photos in front of the ‘Christmas house’.

Upon arrival, house owner Charmaine Ackerman’s grandson Shaun Louw in a Santa Clause suit greets visitors and granddaughter Larissa Louw hands out candy to the children. They open their driveway and hearts to residents and interested parties every week night of December from 7pm til 10pm, when the lights are switched on, and set aside money throughout the year to cover the extra electricity expense.

When the Ackermans three years ago started putting up these Christmas lights during the festive season, they were surprised to find letters to Santa Clause in their postbox. Thus, last year, they added Santa Clause’s postbox to the mix. Charmaine’s husband built a red wooden sleigh from scratch, also decorated with lights and festive messages, which was added to the driveway of the house to complete the scene.

This December she had to brave installing the lights with her daughter’s help as her husband is completing contract work in the Congo. They went as far as scaling the house’s roof to get it decorated. She had to replace 400m of rope lights for this year’s extravaganza.

“This year was a women’s attempt,” she joked about the situation, “we had to be sure it is properly cable-tied into place, you don’t want the display to fail”.

Charmaine said the family had a difficult time last year but that the prospect of putting up lights at the end of 2014 carried them through.

“We’re not doing this to make money or gain fame, but as a simple service to the community.

“Nothing beats seeing families’ eyes light up when they approach the house, and the children get so excited to put their letters in the post box and pose at the sleigh. It started out when my husband put up a few lights around the house and the grandchildren fell in love with it; we’ve been expanding the display every year. I’m not interested in going away on holiday during this time, my place is at home with my family and the community,” she told the Record.

“We want to show everyone our lights, and to emphasise that God is the light in our lives.”

This year it was advertised on various facebook community groups by her good friend Paula Meyer, who’s also assisted the family with receiving letters to Santa. They’ve gone as far as creating Santa Clause an email address, mailstosanta@gmail.com and Paula responds to every letter she can.

Can’t make it to see the beautifully-decorated Witpendoring Street house?

The Record did a video tour of the display specially for its readers. Watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZpE1DkQcMM&feature=youtu.be

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