Ruby, left, Chloe, Charlotte and Jacob showed the Christmas spirit is alive and well in Brimbank despite heartless thieves stealing a neighbourhood letter box. 75063 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By Laura Wakely
to let thieves Scrooge them over this Christmas.
The Taylors Lakes family has been decorating their house with a spectacular lights display for the past five years.
This year, they also created a letter box so that the hundreds of children visiting the lights of Parrakeet Court could post their wish list to Santa.
But last week the box, along with the letters inside, were stolen.
“That was disappointing to think we put all our effort in,” Melissa Delos said.
“We’ve done a thorough search of the area and we can’t see it.
“There’s a Christmas Scrooge somewhere.”
But the Grinch hasn’t stolen Christmas for the family, who are determined to enjoy the holiday season.
This is the 17th year Parrakeet Court residents have lit up their homes – each year an anonymous neighbour who calls himself “The Lighthouse Keeper” wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and reminds them to light up the street.
It’s this community spirit that inspired the family to get involved, Melissa said.
“The first year we did it, the looks on all the little people that walk around, the children just make it,” she said.
A crowd favourite is the elf and Santa see-saw, which moves and lights up, and an archway with lights falling from it that look like raindrops of light.
“My two girls call it the magical forest; it’s enchanting,” Melissa said.
It’s not just the kids either – the grown-ups are just enchanted by the lights, ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ with the young ones.
But it’s not all glamour.
Melissa’s husband Chris spends a full week setting up the display each year.
As for the number of lights, the Delos family has lost count, always picking up a new item here and there throughout the year, but there’s enough to make the house glow.
It’s not just the residents of Parrakeet Court that get into the spirit, a local football club usually brings Santa along to the court, where he gives out lollies to all the visitors.
Melissa recommended that anyone who wants to start a lights display of their own should start small, work out what can be done and build on that each year.
Her hot tip is to use LED lights, which she said were the brightest of bulbs.
And, if you don’t have the spark, you can always visit Parrakeet Court after dark and enjoy their Christmas gift to Brimbank.
The Parrakeet Court lights are on from 8.30pm to midnight every night to Christmas Day.
