Mackay Christmas lights 2021: Why Joey and Alf Lewis decorate their home
Joey and Alf cannot estimate just how many coloured globes adorn their Mackay home and yard, nor how much they have spent since they turned on the Christmas spirit. See the pictures
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Thirteen Christmas trees. Kilometres of wired lights. Snow machine. Singing Santa. Ferris wheel with freshly painted festive characters. Countless globes of festive cheer.
Joey and Alf Lewis cannot estimate just how many coloured globes adorn their West Mackay home and yard, nor how much they have spent over the past eight years since they turned on the Christmas spirit.
“It’s definitely worth it,” Joey said, standing on her driveway next to families lining up at husband Alf’s Mr Skippy ice-cream van.
“I love the spirit and I love watching the kids.
“Most people are amazed and they love the effort we have put in.”
Mrs Lewis said the Christmas lights were about creating a sense of community, especially after a dark couple of years.
“That’s why we put the music on tonight, we’ve got to get that atmosphere going,” she said.
“I want people to drive around the corner and not only say ‘oh wow’ but also hear the music.”
>> In pictures: Stunning Christmas light decorations across Mackay
Mrs Lewis — who has 15 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren — said they tried to add something new each year to their Grosvenor Place home, starting with a few simple outdoor lights and graduating to Santas, kangaroos and this week, a brand new ferris wheel they put together and painted.
“It takes weeks and weeks to put it all up; it’s only up for a few short weeks and then we pack it away again,” she said.
Frustratingly, they usually have to replace the globes and rewire every year, no matter how carefully they are repacked, but Mrs Lewis said she would not have it any other way.
The Lewis home in Grosvenor Place came second in Triple M’s 2021 Christmas lights competition.
A home in Orion Avenue came first and 81 Mansfield Drive came third.
Check out the gallery above for some other awesome homes who decked out their homes with Christmas.
Email us if you have photos of your home you would like us to add: mackay@news.com.au
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Originally published as Mackay Christmas lights 2021: Why Joey and Alf Lewis decorate their home
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