After suffering a workplace accident in 2014, preparing her home's Christmas lights display has almost become a full-time job for Maitland's Emma Gee.
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But this isn't any ordinary lights display. It's computerised Christmas lights set to music over a radio station.
"I start programing different songs for our show in March," Ms Gee said of her McKeachie's Run display. "I taught myself how to program through Youtube videos.
"We have a variety of Christmas songs and non-Christmas songs, our four singing trees and light bulbs will sing the songs.
"I also do programs for other people."
Meanwhile, Emma's husband Brenton builds everything from scratch.
"I build for probably six months of the year," he said. "This is a brand new house this year. We actually designed the front part of the house around Christmas lights."
"We buy lights from overseas. I push each individual light bulb in, wire them up, run them back to a controller, which then hooks into the computer through an ethernet cable."
It sounds like a lot of work - and it is - but the pair have attracted a huge following and love to bring joy to the people who come to visit.
"It can be a stressful and long process, but it's worth it when the kids are standing out the front," Ms Gee said.
"We've had people turn up from Scone and Jerrys Plains. Some people park streets away to walk over and could be out the front for half an hour."
"The lineup at our old house it was probably 400-500m ," Mr Gee said. "People were waiting 20 minutes to get into the street."
The couple also collect money for the Starlight Foundation each year, and have raised $10,000 in the past five years they've set up the display. To donate, visit starlightfundraisers.org.au/thegeefamilylightshow
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IN THE NEWS:
Sage Swinton
Sage Swinton is a news reporter who was born and bred in the Hunter. She has been with the Newcastle Herald since June 2020, and covers Newcastle council as well as other general news.
Sage Swinton is a news reporter who was born and bred in the Hunter. She has been with the Newcastle Herald since June 2020, and covers Newcastle council as well as other general news.
