Our Christmas lights display is so huge people book to visit our house...some neighbours hate us, we get abused and accused of stealing electricity - but we've already ordered the decorations for next
3 months ago

Our Christmas lights display is so huge people book to visit our house...some neighbours hate us, we get abused and accused of stealing electricity - but we've already ordered the decorations for next

Daily Mail  

From January to November, Petitts Lane in Romford, Essex, looks like any other residential road in the area but on December 1, it begins to glow. Perhaps you have seen the viral videos on social media of the old market town's very own Christmas Wonderland or maybe you live nearby and have seen the twinkling light display with your own eyes House number 66 has become somewhat of a tourist attraction over the years as the Grange family adorn their entire three-storey home in a plethora of technicolor lights and bespoke Christmas decorations Ian and Tracey Grange - AKA Mr and Mrs Claus - have put on their annual display since 2013 but this year has been bigger than ever Ian, 54, told MailOnline: 'Romford didn't do their annual Christmas lights switch on this year because it was cut by Havering Council so it seems like everybody is coming to us instead!' Parents and their children walk around in a LED induced daze, gawping at the sheer scale of it all and taking pictures inside the custom built igloo or the glimmering selfie frames Ian, 54, told MailOnline: 'Romford didn't do their annual Christmas lights switch on this year because it was cut by Havering Council so it seems like everybody is coming to us instead!' Their daughter Kayleigh was born premature at just 33 weeks and was diagnosed with scoliosis and global development delay, which impacts her speech and mobility At its core, Ian and Tracey's Christmas light display is a fundraiser for Ravensbourne school as charity buckets and QR codes are dotted around for visitors to make donations They have already raised over £10,000 this year which the school plans to use to buy a minibus for day-trips and a life skills caravan that will be used to teach the pupils things like washing, cleaning and cooking At its core, Ian and Tracey's Christmas light display is a fundraiser for Ravensbourne school as charity buckets and QR codes are dotted around for visitors to make donations. Kayleigh pictured with her new friend Kennedy inside the light-up igloo Even the five people who help with the 3 week installation of the decorations outside are volunteers and Ian and Tracey always donate an extra £1000 on top of the funds raised People have travelled from all over to see the Grange's home, including a family that flew over from Denmark and another that made the three-hour drive from Norfolk But it's Tracey who creates the rest of the magic inside the home, which isn't open to the public but is as equally impressive as outside Their living room is fully immersive and feels like a scene from Lapland with hampers covering the floor Not a single corner of the house is left untouched by festive spirit making the home glow all over Their table for Christmas dinner has already been laid with many seats for their huge family The couple revealed to MailOnline that they plan to go bigger and harder next year and have already started ordering decorations, with a lot of it shipped in from China Some of it is purpose made and professionally fitted by the same company that do the decorations for shopping centres like Lakeside in Thurrock and Bluewater in Dartford There is a whole room in the house decorated from floor to ceiling like a beautiful grotto People have travelled from all over to see the Grange's home, including a family that flew over from Denmark and another that made the three-hour drive from Norfolk.

History of this topic

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