The Warehouse ‘Light Up Your Home’ Winner

Christmas Lights Challenge Flicks the Switch on 50,000 Lights
The Warehouse ‘Light Up Your Home’ Competition Winner Announced

The winners of The Warehouse Light Up Your Home competition have got the Christmas decorating bug and are already designing improvements and additions for next year’s display.

Graham and Evelyn Leighton of Upper Hutt were today named overall winners out of hundreds of entries from around the country.

Their festive home lighting display has been a year in development and uses more than 50,000 bulbs. The Leighton’s began the installation at Labour weekend and unveiled the finished product at a street party held earlier this month.

Evelyn says, “I spent all year working on the lighting features which has taken a lot of patience, but it’s a real passion. I’m aiming to display more than 80,000 bulbs next year.”

“I already know what I’m going to do to make it bigger and better – there’s going to be snow all over the ground and I think I’m even going to dress up!” says Evelyn.

The Leighton family say that seeing the look on visitor’s faces and enjoying their company is the main motivation. Evelyn employs her daughter-in-law and a team of “elves” (children from the neighbourhood) to help her.

“We’ve all put a lot of effort into a Kiwiana theme with lighting features in the shape of native New Zealand pungas and ferns. There is even a “Merry Christmas” sign in tube lighting that has the Maori translation underneath,” says Evelyn.

The Warehouse spokesperson Cynthia Church says, “Once again we’ve been impressed by the elaborate displays that Kiwis create. It’s a wonderful sign that the spirit of Christmas is alive and well.”

The 2006 national winner receives $10,000 to spend at The Warehouse and five runners up each receive $500 to spend at The Warehouse.

Entrants were required to purchase at least one type of Christmas lights from The Warehouse to enter. Along with the entry form, contestants sent photos of their home decorated for the festive season and were judged on their creative flair and effort.

ENDS

2006 Winner
- E & G Leighton, Upper Hutt

2006 Runners Up
- Warren Caffell, Dunedin
- Ches & Trish Sherab, Pt Chevalier, Auckland
- Daphne Pellew, Tokoroa
- Neil & Maureen Anthony, Kaiapoi, North Canterbury
- Sandy Livermore, Te Atatu South, Auckland

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