Neighbours react to cancellation of viral Clark Griswold like Brisbane Christmas lights display

Neighbours of a Queensland family who pulled the plug on their viral Christmas lights have shared mixed views. WATCH THE VIDEO

Neighbours of Queensland’s very own version of the Griswold family, who pulled the plug on their viral Christmas lights due to receiving abusive messages and threats, have shared mixed views on the move.

The creators of Brisbane’s biggest and brightest Christmas light displays have been forced to go dark in 2024 after the family were subjected to crude comments and threats on social media.
David and Chloe Strickland’s ‘Merry Strickland’ Christmas lights display in Burpengary East became a favourite among the Christmas lights community, with the couple decking out the entire home with more than 60,000 lights and giant inflatables in a display worth thousands of dollars.

A large crowd outside the Merry Strickland Christmas lights display at Burpengary East. Picture: Supplied

In efforts similar to iconic film National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, in which the Griswold family go overboard with lights, the Stricklands even went to the effort of organising visits from Santa Claus and fire twirling displays.

For the past few years, the impressive Christmas lights display attracted thousands of people to the street, as well as cars that slowly made their way past the display, causing traffic to build in the North Harbour neighbourhood.
Videos that have been supplied to The Courier-Mail reveal the scale of the crowd and traffic the Christmas lights display drew to the suburban street.

The Strickland’s light display also went viral on social media, amassing more than 200 million views on TikTok and featuring on international news bulletins in Greece and the United States.

However, last Christmas Mr 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 in 2024.

Following the move, The Courier-Mail door-knocked their neighbours to get their thoughts on the decision.

While acknowledging the grandeur display, a neighbour said it created significant traffic and caused a level of tension in the community.

“I think that it was a really good concept and they go to a lot of effort to put it up, but the large crowds, the traffic restricting us from coming in and out, the noise at night was a little bit over the top,” the neighbour said.

“I think the reasoning for doing it was good, but the publicity and everything that came about it, I think was a bit over the top.”

The neighbour added that the Christmas lights display had an impact on their day-to-day life.
“If I am just going down the road to the shops, which is like five minutes there and back, it would probably take around 20 minutes to half an hour,” the neighbour said.

“Getting in and out is not a quick process, so we would stop doing it.”

The neighbour suggested that if they want to do the light display again, they should consult with their fellow neighbours.

“He is very thoughtful and he’ll put signs up saying please do not stand or sit on the retaining wall and he’ll go around and pick up the rubbish that people have left on the street, so he’s very thoughtful of that, but a solution is needed for the traffic and limiting the display late at night,” the neighbour said.

“I think if they’re going to do it again, they really need to limit it to about 8.30/9pm at night time in respect to other people in the area who need to get to bed and get up early.”

Burpengary East resident David Strickland with daughter Piper. Mr Strickland has cancelled his hugely popular Christmas light display after complaints. Picture Lachie Millard

The neighbour added that the statement inclusion of a crude middle-finger light in this year’s scaled-down display was “a bit rude”.

“The middle finger I think is a bit rude and it’s not what they should be displaying,” the neighbour said.

“They’re not like that as people, I think that’s just an angry response and I think they really should take that down.

“That’s not showing who they really are, that’s just a reaction to the public, and it’s degrading them, actually having that middle finger and seeing that all the time.”

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

However, the neighbour went onto state that the family did not deserve to have threats made against them.

“They’re getting death threats, angry, and insulting remarks, which is over the top,” the neighbour said.

“I’m sad that they’re getting those threats, I think they’re empty threats, I don’t think anybody would react like that, but it’s sad they’re getting that especially with a young family.

“It’s not nice.”

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

A nearby resident who was supportive of the display said it was a shame that it had been downscaled this year.

“It was beautiful, a lot of work went into it every year, it was really nice, it certainly made it feel like Christmas that is for sure,” the resident said.

“It is a shame that it is not here this year.”

The resident added that they took the large crowd and traffic the display attracted in their stride.

“It’s a part of it, I’ve been to other places where they have had Christmas lights where they have had traffic problems, that’s just a part of it,” the resident said.

While the resident would like to see the display return, they were not sure that it would.

“It’d be nice if he did it again, but I don’t think he will now,” the resident said.

“They’ve had threats and they are a young family, that shouldn’t be happening.”