Bigger, brighter residential home Christmas installations are drawing crowds, with the best locations in Sydney this year revealed.
Whether bolstered by tradition, community pride or fundraising efforts, residential displays have been getting grander and more widespread.
“Lights have become cheaper, easier to install, and more creative thanks to technology, which has driven a steady rise in the number of homes decorating,” Christmas Lights Search founder Lachlan Kennedy said.
“We’ve already received around 300 Sydney locations this year, and the number rises daily as more homes switch on.”
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No. 64 and 66 Chatsworth Rd, Saint Clair
Inside 66 Chatsworth Road display
Christmas Light Search was founded by cousins Chris and Lachlan Kennedy in 2008 with around 50 listings that has grown to over 3,000 nationally each season.
The online directory started from their yearly tradition as kids to visit Christmas lights with their family, when they realised the difficulty of tracking down which residential homes were decorated.
“In 2008, as young adults, we were driving around looking for displays and realised how difficult it was to know where to go or which houses were worth the trip,” Mr Kennedy said.
Ongoing development, new features, a strong social media presence and forming long-term relationships with decorators that continue listing their displays has adapted the site to what it is today.
Mr Kennedy said roughly 90 per cent of NSW listings cluster around Greater Sydney and Newcastle.
“Those areas consistently produce the most early-season activity,” he said.
Here are a few locations around Sydney:
NORTH OR NW
18 Ryan Ave, Hornsby Heights until January 01 running 7:30pm to 11:30pm. Pictures: Supplied
No. 14 Murrumba Place, Castle Hill until December 27 from 8:30pm To 10:30pm
No. 2 Magic Grove, Mosman until December 27 from 7pm to 10:30pm
SOUTH OR SW
No. 5 Challenger Street, Gregory Hills 8pm to 10:30pm
No. 13 Dunmore Street North, Bexley until December 28 8:30pm to 10:00pm
No. 57 Swansona Ave, Mount Annan until December 25 7:30pm to 11pm
No. 57 Swansona Ave
No. 7 South Street, Tempe until December 31 from 8pm to 11pm
WEST
No. 17 Regentville Road, Glenmore Park until December 26 from 7pm to 10:30pm
No. 28 Hixson Street, Bankstown until January 07 from 8pm to 12am
No. 64 and 66 Chatsworth Rd, Saint Clair until December 25 from 7:30pm to 11pm
Mr Kennedy said in the early days, they drove around to known hotspots and added displays found along the way.
Now, everything is user-submitted from locations, details to photos.
“Over 17 years we’ve built strong rapport with decorators, so submissions come in quickly and reliably each season,” he said.
According to Mr Kennedy, many decorators began when they had young children at home and setting up was a fun activity, which over time turned into a tradition hard to step away from.
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No. 14 Palena Crescent, Saint Clair ‘Grinch’ house display until December 30 from 8pm to 11pm
“We have spoken to an enormous amount of display owners over the years and they usually tell us it comes back to the reaction their display creates,” he said.
“They love seeing kids light up, cars slow down to look, and the socialness it creates with neighbours.
“Other reasons include personal meaning, like honouring a loved one or continuing something that’s grown year after year.
“Charity is very widespread too but often becomes part of the picture later, not as the main driver to start.”
If you are thinking of decorating your own place, Mr Kennedy said its far more achievable than people expect.
“Most displays start very small – some barely more than a few strings of lights – and grow year by year.
“It’s been very rewarding to witness some displays on their growth journeys over the years.”
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