For almost two decades visitors from the region came to marvel at his festive­ ­illuminations.

This year, eight months after Mr Ross died from an aggressive form of brain cancer, his family and neighbours have rallied to continue his seasonal tradition­.

“Christmas was his big thing; he just loved it and got such a thrill each year seeing the kids’ faces light up,” Mr Ross’s widow Sue Ross said.

She said her husband was diagnosed with brain cancer last June and died at  home less than a year later.

“Last Christmas we thought he was getting better and he was well enough to put the lights up, but then he went downhill,” Mrs Ross, who pulled out all her husband’s boxes of lights and decorations in his memory, said­.

As well as kilometres of fairy lights, there are several inflatable Santas and also a blow-up blue Christmas ute.

“Alan was a plumber, and drove a blue ute so that was his favourite piece,” Mrs Ross said.

“It’s been a very emotional and difficult time, but this is something Alan would be doing.

“He always switched them on, on the first of December­ without fail.

“And there was always a bit of friendly rivalry going on with the neighbours, too.”

Mrs Ross is raising money for brain cancer research and said she had raised more than $300.

Other houses in the street have climbed on board, too.

“Everyone’s been great and very supportive,” Mrs Ross said.

“But this may be the last time the lights go up here, after 20 years. So I just wanted to give them one more go.”

See the Ross’ Christmas lights at 24 Carabella Ave, Springfield.

BIG SALES

Coasties are seeing the light, with Christmas shop retailers seeing more punters spending big on festive decorations.

“We’ve had record sales this year. People are getting back into lights,” Christmas Lights Warehouse owner Brent Imison said.

“We had one guy who came in, slapped $3000 on the counter and walked away with a heap of lights.”

Mr Imison, who has been running the Erina store for 12 years, said the market has picked up following a slump last year.

“We’ve been swamped with calls about laser lights but our biggest sellers are low-voltage rope lights, fairy lights and motifs,” he said.

“But we’re seeing fewer ­inflatables and solar lights.”

Mr Imison said with energy-efficient LEDs now as standard, it costs less to run Christmas light displays.

“Power is no longer an issue,” he said.

“Last year it cost us $2400 to run a million lights.

“This year our bill was cut by more than half for the same number of lights,” he said.

Mr Imison said the key to buying Christmas lights is to do it in stages, “building it up gradually”.

The store is having a sale from mid-next month.

WHERE TO SEE THEM

■ Bateau Bay: Bateau Bay Rd

■ Berkeley Vale: Shamrock Drive

■ Chittaway Bay: James Watt Drive

■ The Entrance: Benelong St

■ Glenning Valley: Ashwood Close

■ Gorokan: Durnham Rd

Long Jetty: Watkins St

■ Narara: Boulder Cres, Dena Ave, Strand Ave

■ Niagara Park: Beauty Pl

■ North Gosford: Plateau Rd

■ San Remo: Katoomba Ave

■ Springfield: Carabella and Cobbedah Drive

■ Terrigal: Ash St, Sunrise Ave

■ Tumbi Umbi: Brenda Cres, Florence Ave

■ Umina Beach: Birdwood Ave, Neera Rd

■ Wadalba: Settlement Dr

■ Woongarah: Stan Johnson Drive

■ Wyong: McDonagh Rd, Darri Rd.