THERE’s no need to drive round aimlessly looking for west Wiltshire’s best residential Christmas light displays.
We have found six fantastic displays that are raising cash for good causes this year and are delighting neighbours and visitors alike.
In Holt, Sharon and Mark Parsons have once again switched on a fantastic display in the garden of their home in The Common.
If you’re driving by, you’ll be able to see a collection of reindeer, a giant Snowman, a penguin, mushrooms and an assortment of light displays.
Sharon, 35, said: “Everybody stops to have a look. They love it.
“It brings joy to a lot of people and makes them smile. They love having them on.”
The couple have spent hours installing the lights, have put in some new features this year and are hoping to raise £250 for the Dorothy House Hospice.
Another resident raising funds for Dorothy House is John Fullegar, whose display in Willow View, North Bradley is renowned for linking the lights display to a sound track of Christmas songs.
Mr Fullegar, 49, said: “It takes me only two to three days to put up the lights but to programme the music takes a lot longer.
We have a 25-minute show on repeat from 4.30pm to 9pm every night featuring some popular Christmas songs as well as some unusual ones.
“All the money raised goes to Dorothy House and all the neighbours seem to love it. Nobody has told that they don’t. It all raises money for a good cause.”
In Melksham, you can find two outstanding displays in Longford Road and Sarum Avenue.
Gwilym Watson, 75, is responsible for putting up the Longford Road display and says he’s been doing it for the past 14-15 years.
The display covers one side of his home, plus the fence at the side, and goes right up to the roof level.
“I get a lot of encouragement from my wife, Shirley”, he said. “We’re collecting money this year for Alzheimer’s Support in Trowbridge.
In Sarum Avenue, Terry and Sam Weaver and son Alfie, aged ten, have also put together a display at the front of their home which has attracted the admiration of neighbours and visitors.
They have installed a red and white Ho Ho Ho in big letters in their brilliant Christmas lights display at the front of their family home to raise money for Wiltshire Ambulance.
Mr Weaver, 49, said: "We have been doing it for years to raise funds for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, My mother was one of the first to be airlifted in it to hospital in 1990."
Mr Weaver thanked neighbours who are tolerant of visitors parking their cars outside their homes to visit the display and Santa's grotto, saying they often have six or seven cars outside.
"All the members in the street are helping to raise money for Wiltshire Air Ambulance and we've raised around £450 so far."
Melksham’s answer to Blackpool lights can be found at The Green in Sarum Avenue, where a row of houses have been decked out with a Christmas theme.
On the way towards Westbury, drivers can also admire the display on the Coach Road bend put together by Andy Burden and his partner Donna Compton.
Andy has been doing it for the past 12-13 years and Donna says it has cost them “an absolute fortune” but they love the joy it brings to passers-by.
“We’ve got a nice corner spot and everybody sees it as they drive past,” said Donna. The couple are also raising funds for Alzheimer’s Support in Trowbridge.
The displays were switched on during the last weekend in November and most will be turned off in the early New Year when the festivities are over.
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