Voting open NT’s biggest Christmas fan 2023
As the festive fever takes root in the hearts of Territorians, we’re on the hunt for the NT’s biggest Christmas fan.
Deck the halls, jingle your bells, and get the milk and cookies out for Santa – the festive sprit has descended on the NT.
Territorians are no stranger to over-the-top Christmas lights and candlelit carols, but this year we’re on the hunt for the NT’s biggest Christmas fan.
Read why these Territorians landed a spot in the top six Christmas fans, and vote for your favourite.
Lisa Harding
Having been in love with the holiday season “forever”, Lisa Harding hand makes much of her festive decor, with this year’s theme drawing on (anti) Christmas icon, the Grinch.
A typical Harding Christmas calls on traditional festive themes, but the Whoville-inspired decor marked a change – and a new challenge – for Ms Harding.
She said her unique tree was made of a two trees pieced together using a frame and chicken wire.
“It probably weighs about 20 kilos without the decorations,” she said.
“I’ve made some Grinch stuff just to pull it in a little bit.
“All the lollipops I made myself, all the candy canes I made myself, the little Grinch hands.”
But Ms Harding said the Christmas season wasn’t just about decking the halls in bright lights and joyful carols, it was also about spending time with family and “sharing the love”.
“As a kid, we would do huge, big family Christmases at my Nan’s and it just went from that,” she said.
“Now I hold them in here, and we have a family of eight kids all up and then 12 grandkids – lots of kids, but we love it.
“Luckily, we’ve got a big pool here so that keeps us nice and cool.”
Mel Aplin – Alice Springs
Celebrating the festive season means preparing life-size advent calendars, Christmas decor, and no less than three trees for Mel Aplin.
The mum of two brings the festive spirit to life the second she and the kids get home from trick-or-treating for Halloween by putting the Christmas tree up that very evening.
But prepping her home for December’s elf visits takes a year – and a village.
“This year (the elves) came back with the spray snow and graffitied the kitchen saying, ‘we’re back’ all over the gloss cupboards,” she said.
“The kids got a hit out of that because they know that I love being clean and organised, so the kids were like, ‘oh my gosh, Mum, don’t be angry but the elves made a bit of a mess’.”
Ms Aplin said she started planning each year’s elf schedule straight after Addison’s and Lucas’s birthdays in January and February, and called on family across the country to help gather and craft supplies.
“I have a whole spreadsheet that has all the days, all the supplies I need, I get photos from other ideas I’ve seen from all over the internet,” she said.
“I get a rough draft and then when they do the Christmas in July sales, I like to have a solid draft by then so I will start buying the supplies from around then and they’ll go into a box that I pull out in October, November.”
Ms Aplin said her six-year-old daughter was just as big a Christmas fan as she was and had been counting down to December since October.
Wade Huffman
Darwin-based photographer Wade Huffman brings the magic of a snowy Christmas to the Top End every year.
The Canada-born Territorian has been building and shooting festive sets inspired by his family’s cabin Christmases for the past seven years.
“Where did I get my Christmas spirit from? From loving Christmas as a kid; my Mum is Christmas-mad as well – she gives me a lot of ideas,” Mr Huffman said.
“When I had my first child 11 years ago, I was like, ‘oh my God, Christmas is amazing again’, and then the whole magic of Santa was alive in me, and then I started doing Santa photos.”
Mr Huffman said his Christmas sets started small with a simple black curtain, animals, and a Christmas tree, but they got more elaborate each year.
He said he was lucky enough to have some “beautiful, historic pieces with some pretty extraordinary stories” to tie the magic together.
“The letters to Santa box – the great big wooden box with many drawers – it used to be the GPO box from Melbourne in the early 1900s in Melbourne Railway Station,” he said.
“I’m happy with what I’ve been able to create and share my love of Christmas with everyone.”
Christine Kelly
Christmas might only come once a year, but Christine Kelly wears her holiday spirit on her sleeve every day.
The festive support worker said she started her Christmas-themed ink when a little boy she was working with told her she was head-to-toe in Christmas except for her tattoos.
“I was like, ‘challenge accepted’ – so July last year, I added Santa and the snowman,” Ms Kelly said.
“My son drew the snowman and then I added the Christmas tree and the elf for my son.”
Ms Kelly said she would be adding more baubles to her tattoo, including the Grinch and an Aussie icon.
“They’re all Americanised with snow and everything else, so I want a kangaroo cooking on a Weber with a beach sunset, with a koala and a tree and people playing cricket on the beach,” she said.
Ms Kelly’s festive attire does not stop at her tattoo – she also wears complete Christmas-themed outfits everyday from November 1 through to the main event.
Her wildest costume was a full Christmas tree when she could beat the heat in the southern states.
Julie McCourt
Julie McCourt’s Karama home gets a complete Christmas makeover when the holiday season rolls around.
The family photos get swapped for Christmas memories, a handmade wooden clock with a tree engraved on it goes on the wall – even the bathrooms get decorated.
Ms McCourt said each year’s Christmas theme was different, with new decorations replacing the old every year.
“My nieces have made me Christmas decorations and I have Christmas decorations that people have given me, teachers that I’ve worked with over the years have given me Christmas decorations – you can never have too many Christmas decorations,” she said.
“My grandson and my granddaughter, they helped me decorate so it’s become a tradition, they’re nearly 13 and 15.”
Ms McCourt said the most important rule of decorating was to never redecorate a tree a child has decorated so as not to spoil the Christmas magic.
She said she was also teaching her grandkids that Christmas was about giving back.
“We’ve done the wishing tree at Kmart, Food Bank, I do Mission Australia,” she said.
“It’s a time for sharing even if you haven’t got much, and to be reminded that not everybody has a family around them, so it’s really important to think of others.”
Andrea Bairstow
Andrea is known for her Christmas spirit among friends and family and dresses with festive flair from November 1 through to the big day.
Ms Bairstow said she wore each outfit everywhere and they included themed headpieces, shoes, and bags.
“My Christmas spirit is alive and always has been since I was a child,” she said.
“The best part is seeing others’ reactions and appreciation for my effort.
“I love to spread Christmas cheer everywhere I go, including my workplace in community care.”
Ms Bairstow’s festive flourishes don’t end with her attire – November marks the start of her Christmas crafting, cooking, volunteering and decorating.
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“My office desk is decorated by 1st November and the inside of my house has been named by others ‘The Christmas Cave’,” she said.
“I enjoy putting on Christmas morning teas for my clients, I have co-ordinated my work’s Christmas party, and I am volunteering at this year’s Special Children’s Christmas Party.
“Good old fashion traditional Christmas is what I am all about – cheer, fun, sharing, love.”
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