Passion for Christmas lights burns bright

TIM Brinums knows a thing or two about decking the halls, or more specifically decking the yard for Christmas. He shares tips for creating a spectacular display at home.

Tim Brinums at his Christmas Alight shop, Everton Hills. Picture: Dominika Lis

TIM Brinums knows a thing or two about decking the halls, or more specifically decking the yard for Christmas.

The Everton Hills resident’s home was a regular stop for people on Christmas lights tours, until he pulled the plug about five years ago. It started on a much smaller scale about 15 years before that.

“When the children were young, I decided to do a few lights just for the children to enjoy at my home address,” Tim says.

“One year, a friend took me out to Bracken Ridge where there was a street in which most of the houses did it (Christmas lights). I got the bug after seeing that. I did it for seven years. It got to the stage where because of the sheer volume of cars and people coming it became a traffic issue, so we stopped.”

Tim Brinums’ award-winning display.

Decorating his house wasn’t enough for Tim who opened a shop, Christmas Alight, selling Christmas lights, decorations and much more about 12 years ago.

So, while he’s no longer going to town at home he knows exactly what’s trending this year.

Large resin figures of Santa, reindeer and sleighs are popular, as are small gingerbread figurines and light-up Lemax villages.

“These are usually placed on a table or on a window sill to be admired from the inside and outside. People make village scenes out of them,” Tim explains.

But for those really wanting to create an eye-catching display outside, without too much effort, rope light motifs are the go. “They’re ready to go. Just plug them in,” Tim says.

Solar lights have become popular, but Tim says they are never as bright as plug-in lights, so you need to be selective in using them.

Tim Brinums’ Christmas Alight shop at Everton Hills. Picture: Dominika Lis

The biggest change has been from incandescent to LED lights, which burn through much less electricity and are popular for this reason. Many also have digital controllers and some are programmed to music.

“I like to have the lights on constantly, but some people like to see the lights flashing to the music,” he says.

So, what are his top tips for Christmas lights success? “You basically need a lot of lights,” he says with a grin. “You need a fairly large display, which is costly, so build it up slowly each year.”

He also suggests getting an early start and not leaving it until December to hit the shops because popular items will sell out.

Lights at Tim Brinums’ Christmas Alight shop, Everton Hills. Picture: Dominika Lis

Make sure your safety switch is working correctly and powerboards are not overloaded.

“When starting out, ensure that transformers and connections are waterproof. Then your lights are okay if you get a storm,” he says.

It’s a lot of work, but Tim says it’s worth the effort. “Just to see the joy on people’s faces and the joy and smiles and the excitement on the children’s faces,” he says.

Christmas Alight is at 2/12 Bowers Rd South, Everton Hills.

Visit christmasalight.com.au