After a while, it just took on a life of its own.
That is how Henry Lappin described his annual Christmas display at his residence in Mystery Lake.
"It started small enough and there was really no reason behind it, I just started putting up Christmas lights," Lappin said.
About 20 years ago, Lappin first put up a Christmas display, it was a much more modest display with only 3,000 to 4,000 thousand lights. However, over the years he has been slowly adding to the display.
At the time he was still working at his job in the oil patch. However, since he retired, the display has really started to take off.
For the last three or four years, the display includes about 30,000 lights.
"I start putting the lights up in October," he said, adding depending on the weather, the display is ready to go well before his preset "flip the switch" date of Dec. 1.
Lappin said there really is not an overall theme to the display, except for the obvious, that of Christmas.
The display itself, which is about 40 kilometres Northwest of Barrhead, contains several elements. Although Lappin's property is located on a hill much of the display is obscured and people must walk further onto his property to see all the ligtening something he does not object to.
From the road, people can see two versions of sleds pulled by assorted animals. They then follow the driveway (which of course is decorated with hundreds of lights) to the house and yard where they are met by numerous displays ranging from a nativity scene, a large Santa head, various inflatables, a towering Christmas tree, and Santa and his reindeer, to name a few.
Despite the number of lights, Lappin's electricity bill for the month is relatively minor.
"People don't believe it when I tell them, but my bill for the month is roughly about $100," he said.
That is partly because most of the display uses energy-efficient LEDs.
As for how much longer Lappin will continue putting up the display, he said he is not sure.
"It depends on how my health is and how I feel. I am 79 years old and it is getting more difficult to put up some of the display," he said. "I think I told someone who came to look at the display a few days ago, that this would be the last year, but then again, that is what I told people last year."
Luckily, if this year is the last year Lappin puts up his display, there is still time for them to see it as he keeps the lights on traditionally until Jan. 2.
For those wishing to see the display in person, it is on Range Road 65 off of Highway 763.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
