SA Christmas light display map: Where to find the most festive homes in the state

If you’ve left your Christmas lights drive to the last minute, have no fear. We’ve mapped Adelaide and SA’s best displays here.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and time to see this year’s Christmas lights displays across South Australia in our tree-mendous interactive map.

The countdown to December 25 is on, the halls are decked and it’s time to plan your Christmas Eve route so you don’t miss SA’s most spectacular homes.

The Advertiser is also on a festive mission to crown the best Christmas light display in the state. Voting closed at 9am on Saturday.

SEE THE MAP BELOW

46 Casuarina Ave, Surrey Downs

Janelle Neave with her Christmas lights display at her Surrey Downs home and raising money for a local primary school. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Janelle Neave has been lighting up her whole street for four years for a good cause.

Never doing things by halves, the Surrey Downs woman has made all her decorations including a sleigh, gingerbread house and a chair for Santa.

“Santa’s chair is made out of an old bedhead, which was a bit of fun,” Ms Neave said.

“A friend donated it and I was like yeah I can make it into something and then the sleigh was just old bits and pieces of wood like old chairs and slates from beds.”

The gingerbread house was fashioned from her kids’ old cubbyhouse and is a real hit for visitors — if they can manage to fit through the tiny doorway.

The display raises funds for build better facilities for Surrey Downs Primary School’s special needs students.

Ms Naeve’s three sons Charlie, 11, Ethan, 9, and Liam, 6, all attending the school and she hopes to raise $3500 this year.

“I tend to be out there when people come and they’ll meet my kids and it’s all about autism awareness … it’s about getting people aware and getting them to meet them (the kids) and I love that,” she said.

9 Elura Court, Sheidow Park

Kym and Sue Briggs have brought Xmas cheer to their Shadow Park community with lights for over 30 years. Picture: Emma Brasier

For 32 years Kym and Sue Briggs have been delighting the Sheidow Park community with their lights display.

It all started when their kids Ryan, Joshua and Alex were young.

“It started when the boys were little and they picked something and then they wanted lights and I bought some and the next year they wanted more and more,” Mr Briggs said.

“It snowballed from there.”

Decades on, the display has grown all down the Brigg’s driveway, leaving the couple no choice but to park their cars elsewhere to make room.

There’s inflatables, laser lights, decorations and Mr Brigg’s just can’t himself, he buys more and more each year.

The couple were teachers at Sheidow Park Primary School and Mr Briggs said their favourite part of the festive season is their former students paying a visit.

“We just enjoy it, a lot of people that come up are kids we’ve taught and they’ll say ‘hello Mr Briggs or hello Mrs Briggs,’” he said.

40 Penang Ave, Colonel Light Gardens

40 Penang Ave, Colonel Light Gardens. Picture: Supplied

WhenDominic Calabro moved to Colonel Light Gardens ten years he was the only person in the street to put up Christmas lights.

The former Hahndorf man was helped by a friend, who gifted him a string of lights and said behind the glittering display was a level of sacrifice others would never see.

“I love Christmas, it’s my favourite time of year – because everyone’s happy,” Mr Calabro said.

“If you have the power to make people happy, then do it – the world needs more of it.”

When his friend died a few years ago, Mr Calabro decided to keep up the ritual, putting up the lights alone as a way to honour him.

Mr Calabro’s work begins around Halloween and his commitment has not waned, despite the increasing cost of the bulbs and the time it takes to put them up.

“It does get expensive, the reindeer on the roof cost about $250,” he said.

“It (the reindeer) came down after the rains, so I had to fix it, I have to maintain the lights because they get damaged in the sun.”

Originally published as SA Christmas light display map: Where to find the most festive homes in the state