Yahoo News Incredible Christmassy Essex home with thousands of lights and snow machine
An Essex couple who has transformed their home into an incredible Christmas lights display for the last 16 years are gearing up for their long-awaited annual switch on. Colchester couple, Glenys and Pip Diebelius, are gearing up for their big switch on later today (November 28), which sees many people flock to view the first switch-on of the year.
Their incredible display of Christmas lights covers theirs and their neighbours house. Shrub End residents in Colchester have been spreading the Christmas spirit every year for 16 years, raising money for local charities.
Glenys told EssexLive: “My husband was always a big ‘lights person’. It started inside the house, and instead of more decorations it was a light show inside the house. He’d always said he’d like to get lights outside. It all started after friends were giving their outside lights away, and Glenys and her husband, Pip, jumped at the chance to share in the festive display.
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Every year for 16 years, the Colchester couple have been making their display bigger and better. Starting off with former MP, Will Quince, to switch on the lights, Glenys later got The Mercury Theatre in Colchester involved, and the pantomime dame has made it a tradition to appear.
The glow of the lights is not just a fun family event either, Glenys shared: “We wanted it to be a local event for local people”, choosing a charity to donate to to help the community. Camp Jojo, based on Mersea Island, helps families with children who have complex needs, or life limiting conditions to go on a proper family camping holiday together.
“Christmas is a huge, huge deal in our house and always has been.” If Glenys could, she’d have the lights up in October. There are countless lights, but the main event that everyone loves is their snow machine, making the event really magical for children. Glenys shared that last year, they used 280 litres of snow fluid to make it a white Christmas for their neighbours.
“Kids really, really love it, they love the snow machine, parents love the snow machine. Everyone wants that picture in the snow, and it’s become a tradition. Apparently, lots of people say that Christmas doesn’t start until our Christmas lights go on. For us, we love seeing people come, dance in the snow, take their pictures. We love seeing the kids having fun. It’s not just the kids either, we’ve had policemen dancing in the snow, we’ve had scout groups. It’s become a real focal point for everyone in Shrub End, and further afield.”
