A dedicated bunch are bringing Christmas to their neighbourhoods, reports Catherine Smith.
It may be summer, it may not be dark until 8.30pm, and our gardens may be full of roses in full bloom but, by the power of the Great Christmas Elf, New Zealanders have taken to lighting up their houses as if we are in snowy North America.
Aucklanders were prompted into the lavish lighting game about 18 years ago by the stylish folks of Franklin Rd, a thoroughfare of gingerbread Victorian houses interspersed with solid bungalows off Ponsonby Rd. Lighting enthusiast Ross Thorbey led his neighbours on ever-increasing frenzies of nets, LEDs and moving parts, with the help of a roster of Santas and little elves.
Rossco, as the locals call him, is the dealer of choice, feeding his neighbours' growing cravings with ever bigger and more clever imported pieces, and setting higher standards each year on his classic two-storey 1850s house.
But bright displays are not limited to inner Auckland. Houses from Pukekohe to Whangaparaoa are lighting up in displays that range from modest to majestic.
Some displays are tastefully themed and refreshed each year, others go for the most over-the-top kitsch they can find, steadily build on their garlands and swags each year, gaily abandoning any thoughts of decor or decorum.
Addicted decorators can now share their displays, tips and (perhaps with an eye to competition) just some of their secret sources on a forum called christmasdisplays.co.nz while a number of websites have sprung up to deliver the latest and greatest lighting technology to New Zealanders.
One of them is run by Mairangi Bay couple Duncan and Margie Valentine. The South Africans arrived in New Zealand about 13 years ago, and began decorating their house on the charmingly named Honeysuckle Lane in 2000.
The couple began sourcing things for friends and neighbours, and now, in addition to their day jobs, they have a website selling their finds (this year's hit is the "exploding fireworks" piece on glowing poles, some of which retail for over $2700).
Planning the displays takes all year. Margie and her daughter's special project is a beautifully lit diorama featuring their teddy bear collection. This year their theme was the Edinburgh tattoo - complete with bagpiper playing Christmas carols; one year Margie was crouched in the baby's department of Kmart trying pyjamas on the teddies for a bed-time scene.
"We probably have a couple of tonnes of stuff, we have to keep it in a separate storage spot," admits Duncan.
"We like to change out the inflatable character on the drive every night, and at switch-on time we have the snow machine blowing for all the kids. We estimated last year we had 35,000 visitors."
The Valentines begin installation at Labour Weekend, spending every night decking the house, driveway and glass-fronted ground floor rooms, but judging by Duncan's enthusiastic manner, it's the evening chats to the visiting crowds that are the highlight of his year's work.
The same could be said of Diana Harding who, with her husband Bernard, has been decorating her house in Chapel Rd, Howick, for 14 years.
The displays - and crowds - got so large they became a traffic hazard so for the past couple of years Howick village has offered the Hardings a central square to decorate. The display includes dozens of inflatable santas, a huge tree of lights and a magic snow cave toy grotto.
The workload sounds enormous: Diana and Bernard take a fortnight off their regular business and rope in friends to help, with an electrician making the final checks. Her now-grown family, she admits, are long over it as they spent their teens indulging mum's passion. She clearly relishes it though: every one of her sentences finishes with a hearty laugh.
"The thing that makes me happy is watching people enjoy it. Life can be tough, so to put a smile on people's faces is great. It's unusual these days to give something for nothing, so it's nice to do things for people," Diana says.
"Not everyone can afford Christmas, for some people this is all their kids get for Christmas. We get people from all over the country and the world signing our visitors' book."
Like Duncan, Diana has never added up the cost of her, ahem, hobby. Nor has she counted her collection, although she thinks she has three train sets chugging through delightful miniature wonderlands inside the snow cave.
She keeps a keen eye open for toys through the year, mostly in New Zealand, and has already started planning for Christmas 2011 ("Now that we're at the park we've got a lot more room to do things, but it is a secret," she warns). But she is determined to keep up her "Please Touch" signs after she hated watching wide-eyed kids in toy shops being constantly told "don't touch".
The couple staff the display from 8pm to 11pm every night.
So do they spend Christmas Day collapsed in a heap? In fact, no, as the Hardings spend both Christmas Eve and Day serving up special dinners to their residents in the aged care home they run nearby.
"We just put up a bunny or two at Easter, Christmas is it for us," says Diana.
Where to light up
Central
* Franklin Rd, Ponsonby, plus the Telecom tree in Western Park, Ponsonby Rd.
* The Heart of the City has dressed up the KZ1 yacht at the Maritime Museum, added reindeer and lights to the traditional Santa on the Whitcoulls building and giant baubles in Aotea Square. Smith & Caughey's, as always, pulls out the traditional windows with panache.
* Parnell's shops have 20 wreaths by leading artists and will sell them on Trade Me after December 19.
* Remuera shop windows have Christmas carols, Mt Eden has lighted angels by Stanley Palmer and Dominion Rd is lighting up from Carrick Pl south.
* Cadbury's Snow Globe moves to One Tree Hill Domain until December 19, finishing at Windsor Reserve, Devonport from December 21 to 24.
* Motat Nights, Christmas Lights is on in the Victorian village this weekend 8pm-11pm, with hot chocolate, mulled wine and carol singing. Gold coin entry.
South East
* Real estate company The Professionals' Lights Up Christmas competition makes it easy to find the spectacular neighbourly displays.
* Two cul de sacs, Simon Owen Pl in Golflands and Monde Pl in East Tamaki/Clover Park, show you don't need Victoriana.
* Nearby Corta Bella Ave and Golflands Ave have individual moments of glory, as do The Parade, Bucklands Beach, and Fratley Ave, Farm Cove.
* The highlights are the Howick Village display and the Eastgate Christian Centre on Ben Lomond Dr (tune in to 88.1 FM to hear the music and story accompanying the lights).
North
* Birkenhead Village turns on a pretty display, but head up to Red Beach's Vista Motu and Panorama Court for suburban glory.
* East Coast Rd has some individuals, but it is Honeysuckle Lane (off Wisteria Way) that draws the crowds to Mairangi Bay.
West
* Check out 676 Sandringham Rd; Spitfire Pl, Blockhouse Bay; and Bannerman Rd, Western Springs before heading out to Chamari Close, Titirangi or Skilgate Ave, New Lynn.
* For more readers' favourite lights, click here.
