Tremains Christmas Lights illuminate Napier and Hastings homes

What drives two Hawke’s Bay residents to spend the money and time to cover their homes in hundreds of Christmas lights during the festive season?

One word was top of mind for Mark Williams of Napier and Julie Field of Hastings: “Love.”

Both Williams and Field are stalwarts of the “world famous in Hawke’s Bay” Tremains Christmas Lights, which runs from December 1-22 and sees houses across the region dress to impress in a flurry of LED lights.

“I’ve only had a break one year; I’ve done it for 23 years,” said Williams, who decorates his Westminster Ave home with more than 50,000 lights.

“I missed it [when I had the break]. It is a bit mentally exhausting but I love it.”

He and a couple of friends started work in October and it took six weeks to get the place ready for visitors.

“We like to do it through the weather and through the garden growing,” he said of the early summer.

Pauline Lindsay of Taradale took Louchlann Mitchell, 9, to see the Westminster Ave lights. Photo / Warren Buckland

It’s a bit different for Williams this year, though.

Originally mixing business with pleasure, he’s since sold his popular LED lights business Flexilight to move on to other endeavours.

“I sold my business in February, so this is the first year without running a business.”

The Tamatea man said he originally bought the business because of the lights and it had been a great experience personally and professionally.

But in the end, it was the smiles on people’s faces that made it worthwhile.

“I had a 97-year-old the other night and they said they’d never seen anything like it. I’ve also had 3-year-olds come through and love it, so it doesn’t matter how big the age gap is.”

He expects roughly 10-20,000 people to have walked through the gates by the time the season ends.

Over in Hastings, Julie Field of Greenlea Place is also continuing her impressive display out of love.

“We moved into town about six years ago after previously living rurally in Middle Rd out of Havelock,” she said.

“We had a house on a hill decorated with lights. It gave quite a bit of pleasure to the rural community who don’t often get to see things like that.”

The move to the city didn’t stop Field and her family from getting into the festive spirit.

“I had quite a few lights from there and decided to continue.

“My children were a great support in helping me. I was away overseas and when I came home, they’d already done a few of the decorations.”

Georgia Field, daughter of Julie Field, helped her mum set up her Christmas lights. Photo / Paul Taylor

She said neighbours would often stop to chat and their feedback throughout the season had been encouraging.

“I do it so people can have somewhere to look at the lights around Frimley. I don’t really do it just for my house, but so people have somewhere to go when they come and look at the lights in the neighbourhood.”

She is already scouting for more lights for next year.

“I love it, I could have the whole thing lit up.”

For a full list of this year’s houses, see the maps below

Credit / Tremains

Credit / Tremains

Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in late January. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.