KEY POINTS:
Every year for the past five years, John Shakespeare has covered the few dark hairs left on his face with white paint and donned a Santa suit.
For most nights in December, he sits in front of his house on Tauranga's
Plover Place and hands out lollies to young and old enjoying a local festival of lights.
"It's great fun," he said. "The kids love it."
The 68-year-old is one of five retired men on the street who decorate their houses with a dazzling array of sleighs, reindeer, stars and Christmas trees.
Plover Place may not have the posh inner-city location of Auckland's
Franklin Rd, but the cul-de-sac in suburban Maungatapu still draws
thousands of Christmas revellers.
Some drive and others arrive literally by the busload, with coaches
depositing passengers eager to see the spectacle into the normally quiet street from about 8.30pm.
Mr Shakespeare said about 2000 people had seen the lights in the past few days and more were expected today.
The retired television technician had taken to dressing as Santa because of the colour of his hair.
"I'm pretty white and my beard is about 85 per cent white, but the moustache and just under the middle of the chin is a little bit dark.
"So I go to the $2 Shop and get some poster paints, and I get the old toothbrush out and just cover it in."
He said a few very young children were scared of Santa, but most smiled and were awed by the sight.
"It's the way they stand in front of you, standing to attention."
Last year, he and his neighbours handed out 25kg of lollies, and are on target to do the same again.
Mr Shakespeare plans to repeat the exercise next year, and he and the
neighbours - Bill Winn, Tony Beech, Gordon Barnett and Allen Holloway - also hope to persuade other residents to decorate their houses.
Last year, they raised $2500 for a hospice.
