Brisbane’s best Christmas lights shut down after complaints

The creators of Brisbane’s biggest and brightest Christmas light displays have been forced to go dark – and many aren’t happy. HAVE YOUR SAY

The creators of Brisbane’s biggest and brightest Christmas light displays have been forced to go dark in 2024 – and many aren’t happy.

‘Merry Strickland’ in Burpengary East became a favourite among the Christmas lights community, decking out the entire home with more than 60,000 lights and giant inflatables creating a display that could apparently be seen from space.

However, last Christmas David Strickland and his family were subjected to abusive messages leaving the homeowner who is passionate about all things Christmas with no choice but to pull the plug.

“When you see your own family in tears, it really makes you question what you’re doing and why you’re doing it,” Mr Strickland said.

On Saturday night he took to the display’s Facebook page to reveal their much smaller, “cheekier” lights which he said was for the “one per cent”, captioning the post with “and … we’re done for 2024 @followers @everyone” and two middle finger emojis.

The Stricklands have pulled the plug on their epic light display this year.

“It’s definitely some tongue-in-cheek … but I wanted to show them that I just wanted to have fun this year,” he said.

From personal attacks threatening to “cut all of the lights” to comments leaving himself, his wife Chloe and two young children “not feeling safe” in their home, Mr Strickland said it got to a point where he was forced to put his family first.

News of the lights out sparked debate among readers, with some claiming Karesn had struck again.

Others, though, said the family needed to respect the neighbourhood more.

See what you had to say below and join the conversation >>>

WHAT YOU SAID

Karens strike again

DF

Always please the 1%ers. What a world we now live in.

Chris C

Thank you to the couples who for years have gone to the trouble to bring joy to everyone over the years with their Christmas lights. So sorry to hear there are miserable people out there who want to destroy it.

Colin

Very disappointed that the Strickland family could be intimidated to the point of having to submit to some very unpleasant and selfish people.

Ted

STOP the minority controlling! Turn the lights on

EvanK1

And the bullies win again.

David and Chloe Strickland with their children Noah 3, and Piper 5, at their Burpengary East home covered in Christmas lights. Picture: Lachie Millard

How disappointing

Scott

This is disgusting that these people doing something great like this (and going above and beyond what they had to do to make it safe) are made to feel unsafe in their own home. This world is getting worse every day. Thanks for the joy you’ve brought each year.

CJ

Remember an Australia where we cared about each other, happy in our Christian history and values? The lucky country?

Ted

The government should track these Christmas killers and FINE them big time! If you don’t like Christmas go and live in a socialist country

Marjorie

so sad there are sad and viscous people out there. Be nice for a couple of weeks and bring joy to many

Crowds check out the Merry Strickland Christmas display at Burpengary East. Picture Lachie Millard

Tone it down

Julia

“ … it really makes you question what you’re doing and why you’re doing it,” Mr Strickland said. As indeed it should. This is sheer obsession and lacks any sense of moderation. I daresay it keeps the street awake at night with the luminance plus all the visitors. Do something within reason.

Scott

I wondered about that too, but I’m sure they wouldn’t have done this without consultation with their neighbours.

Rodney

I don’t agree with threatening people. We spent more than an hour trying to get there in grid lock and gave up. imagine if you lived there. Go to pick up your teenage daughter from the train station and spend hours trying to get home.

Maurice

I love visiting the lights with my family and going to miss them immensely. But it must have been very hard for their neighbours with the nightly traffic gridlock.