Sydney's Spectacular Christmas Street - Christmas Lights Spectacular - Reality TV

[Music] Aussies turn Christmas on its head Santa suits in summer cold ones around the   Christmas tree and forget about snow  we've got glow [Applause] [Music]   Christmas lights [Music] [Applause]  like no one else on Earth   yeah the thing I do have an addiction to lights  I'd say definitely yes over the years it has   become an obsession if there's a Christmas  shop around Jan's got to go visit him I just   spend money like it's going out of stock not  that I'm I'm a rich person or anything [Music]   we buy millions of them this year we're about  85 000 likes it's got about 20 000 lights we   put them up all over Australia I like Christmas  might bring my Christmas freak in this particular   bus is probably about 300 lives we go high tech  This One controls mega tree old school I think   for five of London's Father Christmas and the  Christmas tree really and everything in between pretty we just about covered every spot  we can cover within the house [Music]   I'd rate our obsession with lights check out our best and brightest hello mystical and we'll follow one  of Australia's most loved Christmas   streets as they count down to their biggest ever  light spectacular two two one [Applause] [Music] an Aussie Christmas when we're not hitting the  beach or stoking up the Barbie   Weaver your way in our front yard  stringing up the world's best light   shows it's become a national Obsession  growing bigger every year foreign [Music] than on this street in Sydney   for 48 weeks of the year it looks just  like any other Aussie neighborhood four weeks over Christmas a  miracle half a Second Street happy Christmas didn't you have lights throughout  the garden last year I think you had lights   amongst all the flowers I specifically bought my  house on this street because I wanted to be part   of the Christmas light when it came up for sale  I just thought wow I've been visiting Christmas   light streets for 10 years and and I would love  to be in a stream to do it which is probably a   bit weird but that's that's how I felt a couple  sets I lost the check check these up the hallway   hey I first found out about Christmas lights on  on our first date it was a different conversation   that you'd have any on your first date more than  60 families light up their homes to create the   biggest and brightest Street in Australia I was  born in the strait so I'm like 83 at the moment   or the Christmas displays they've been getting  done for quite a number of years hello Rose and   oh how are you you're so cute Laurie the mystery  Santa goes and puts little pieces of paper in   everybody's letter boxes and says put your lights  on on this time or I'll be around going crook   Laurie McGinty's mum and dad started the  tradition nearly a quarter of a century ago   Dad and Mum love the idea of sharing Christmas  with more people and share that joy and fun now Laurie and neighbor Brian sharick take  the tradition very seriously I've lived here   23 years and I've been mowing lawns about  that long with uh with L'Oreal actually   sometimes he's dead they work together  to get the streets verges looking trimmed summer it's almost every week especially with  the lead up at Christmas and the good thing   is if it doesn't look good it'll look good a  week later that's true that's true if we cut   it too short yeah bit like a haircut yeah and  people appreciate they come and say thank you   and you know it's about being enabling helping  people out and that's that's what it's about this year's second Street's going all out to be  the biggest and best in the country so we need   to look at what decorations and lights we're  going to do this year so his last year's plan   Brian and his new Mrs Jen have big plans for this  year we might even be able to possibly put some   lights down there and have the merry Christmas  sign there with our Christmas lights our style   will be the simple but elegant and pretty you  don't need to cover every corner of the house in   lights to make it have that aspect and feel about  it it's about people looking at what we do here   and enjoying what we do so if we hang something  there as you said that'll match go well with us on Second Street you need to have a darn  good excuse not to get into Christmas lights   even if you've just moved in this it was  funny when we were signing the lease for   the house the real estate agent actually asked  us if we're aware about the Christmas lights   and I wasn't quite sure what she meant at the  time this will be Megan Lawrence's first Second   Street Christmas the main competition will  be with the neighbors and competing with them   you know they've had several years to buy lots of  Lights she's determined to make a good impression   I did go to art school so I do get quite  inspired by the idea of putting on a   display at the front of the house so I've been  thinking a lot about how we could do that in a   creative way and I often find myself in  the shower thinking about the lights and   what I'm going to do and I suddenly realize  that it is consuming me a little bit yeah put   on the right yeah down up Second Street might  still be drawing up their Christmas light plans but in Canberra one Christmas  fan is already supercharged crazy fill green go around to the arbor I'll  get the purple out and we run the purple room   it started off with just saying going down  the chimney and then a set of lights and then   another set of lights and then it escalated  out of control and that's where we've got all   the stuff that we have today and that's why  they call me crazy Phil with all my lights tin has been going bananas about lights for 15  years every year they've been getting bigger   and bigger [Music] on the roof the display is  made up of a two meter long sleigh with Santa   Claus in it there's all the reindeers they're all  fiber optic a snowman there's every toy hopefully   you can imagine is will be in the front yard  plus the whole yard's covered in snow Phil's   a bricky he can build anything so he does  we have three meter high candy canes all   our bushes are covered in multi lights mousse  greens whites Blues so it's pretty spectacular   we think this year we've only got 85 000 lights  we'd have to do a double check on that but it   definitely is 85 000. I've never used before  they're brand new over the years I've usually   spent four to five thousand but this year I think  I've kept it back to just over three thousand   at first bill just wired it all together plugging  everything in hoping for the best and then one   year we had a fire in the roof well that was  it from then on I went professional I only   got electricians in I've got no power your  box is off but I'll just switch it on okay   excellent thank you we now have 12 power boards  each power board has 30 plugs in it and half of   them then got their own switches on them Phil he  doesn't know what he's doing he thinks he knows   what he's doing but every year yeah we just keep  going so what makes Phil so mad about Christmas   well I'm born on Christmas Day and I always  remember going to shop fronts looking at just   Christmas displays that's why when you walk into  my yard you'll see all the toys all the trains   we have lots of toys every toy and  everything you can think of we have I   think I do have an addiction to lights and  a Christmas spirit addiction I don't know   Phil's power bill used to Skyrocket  over Christmas to 400 a month   my electricity bill used to be the highest in  Canberra now I've gone solar trust me it's the   way to go the money he saved goes to the  Eden Monaro cancer support group [Music]   it's switch on night and thousands of camberons  queue up to wander through Phil's Wonderland [Applause] [Music] it's been getting bigger and bigger and  bigger every year and honestly the work   the guys have done has just been  amazing [Music] my favorite part   is Santa falling down the  chimney [Music] [Applause] the people that come through and look at our  lights the word we keep hearing is wow you can't   count how many Wows you're here every year it just  keeps getting better better the best light display   as far as I'm concerned is mine I'll never give  it up not while the kids are enjoying it so much   foreign [Music] there's plenty more  light Madness to come [Music] I think I've spent at least seven thousand  Christmas decorations if you don't go on   holidays anymore yes you can't see it  from the air if you have planes coming   over all the time and on Second Street  how do you create a winter wonderland   at 30 degrees get a bit of that snow  and just try it on the Camellia now [Music]   in the weeks before Christmas Aussies  put on their biggest show of the year   a quarter of a million front yards light  up with true blue Aussie genius [Music]   and one of the longest running Traditions  is here on Second Street in Sydney where   the whole street is gearing up  for its biggest switch on ever   from day one of light up when you walk out to  your street you see all your neighbors lit up   you feel pretty sad if you don't have your own  setup we wouldn't be allowed not to do one we'd   have to do one or we'll have the kids chasing us  no the grandkids love taking part in it [Music] Brian sharick is one of the many Christmas lights  addicts busy working to bring Second Street alive it's about just making your house look nice and  we then promoted that to other people because   everyone just loves the spirit of Christmas  Brian reckons he'll need at least 200 strands   of LEDs to make an impact so this is the hardest  part these days getting the tingles out of the   wiring if you're thinking 200 strands is a  bit over the top that's not the half of it   all working excellent that's what we want to  see see this year Brian has a willing helper   his new wife Jen what's your planning hon well  I'm determined to get my Christmas tree in the   garden honey yep Jen married into the mother of  all Christmas clubs and she's determined to make   her mark a lot of the neighbors have been here for  a very very long time and I'm sort of a newcomer   so it was one way of me being involved with the  with the neighborhood and being part of it keeping   up with the Joneses won't be easy big shopping  list honey yeah all good big budget big shopping   list when neighbor Deb Lowe found her new husband  Mal she laid down The rules I actually said look I   can't go out with anyone that's not into Christmas  you know this is a really important part of my   life she's sorting through her prize decorations  and so this is always the fun part of you when   I find things that I haven't seen all year and I  put them out I don't know why but I'm just super   crazy about this type of decoration snowmans are  some of my favorites Deb has collected over 100   exotic baubles from every corner of the world  it's a bit like a treasure chest of of memories   and dreams each year has got bigger and better  basically I started off slow and then as the   years go by you know you add to your collection  oh I just love the fact that they're all so shiny   and bright the detail is really good soon Dev will  be on the hunt for new ways to feed her Christmas   habit she can't resist the new Temptation  shipped in every year from factories in Asia she's not alone we Aussies book out more than  20 million dollars in Christmas lights each year   and four times that on our other  Christmas decorations oh my gosh   look at it in here you can spend a whole day  in a Christmas Warehouse like this oh my gosh   which is just what Brian and Jen plan to do  that's my tree yeah look at that that's the   tree I want for the garden that'll go perfectly  in our garden that's identical to the one you've   got on The Veranda it is with the presents it'll  be perfect yeah just the bigger versions that's   all first item so you're actually looking  for new things that people don't have yeah   what's the kind that's exactly right come  on show me show me yeah let's have a look gents decided Brian's lights need a serious review  the shopping is one of my favorite parts of the   whole Christmas light process of like a little  kid in a candy store merry Christmas everybody you   notice that the men are actually trailing you here  yes I noticed that there is a very good it's all   about me and what I'm gonna buy I thought I love  Christmas shopping but Jen I have rights to buy   whatever I like for Christmas lights do I have a  budget to spend no but I you know I use discretion   um but I do you know I want to make our  place look lovely and so I spend as much   as appropriate every year new gimmicks  roll out of the Christmas factories   bobbing head reindeer so last year  trains from the North Pole bah humbug   now this looks really interesting and I have  to rewrite under his no you don't necessarily   fantastic there's just so much out there the shop  is definitely dangerous what makes me excited   is something different Jen wants a modern  look to overhaul Brian's traditional theme new wife New Life okay I think we've  found my dream mum purchase these two   lamps I wanted lovely and just um you  know help with these stars as well so   yeah exactly right they are in the garden  so that would be perfect what do you think   buddy no I like it look good yeah so what's  the price of a lap around Santa's playground   price is 404.65 lovely thank you is it that not  bad for the first shopping trip of the season really well yeah my girls have grown up and moved on but they still  like coming back home to see the Christmas lights   this Aussie Street relies on everyone  going all out to get the visitors   the boys are inside fixing up little bits and  pieces while we're out here decorating they   keep looking for new ways to wow the crowds and  bring Christmas cheer and true Aussie fashion Lawrence over the road encourages  us all to do it and be on time   yeah the bells will be right up in the  in the pitch and the snowflake will be   dripping underneath it but some years are more  successful than others ask Mal and Deb [Laughter]   this one year though went very colorful bright  blue lights and someone mentioned that I went   to the next level of tactlessness now  attacking attacking us attacking us   attacking us they went within a week they were  gone [Music] so this year there's a new plan   I was just listening to Christmas  music and the idea of White Christmas [Music] I did think to myself oh my God that's  that's really pretty it's like a winter wonderland   so how do you make a white Christmas in Australia  oh my God oh my God it's quite heavy thank you   plastic snow now that's a first for Second Street  so it worked out um a hundred dollars for 10 kilos   so I bought at uh 20 kilo it will be it'll be an  experiment that may be successful for next year   in the trash not quite a winter wonderland but  for a biking hot summer Christmas it might just do   the trick why don't you get a bit of that snow and  just try it on the Camellia now [Applause] [Music]   I do have a problem with doing snow  in Australian summer be perfect little   snowman actually wouldn't they it's waste  not what not for Street newcomer Megan   obviously I'll have to find out how much they are  their budget is 50 bucks for the whole house I'm   a great believer in in the whole reuse recycle  um try not to get too many core materials that   we won't really use again so she's at the second  hand store with her shopping list I think we'll   go more with angels and ribbons and and silver  a lot of tinsel and things like that just to   make it look pretty well this is what I'm thinking  for the angels that you can sort of cut them out   create some wings but how will DIY Stack Up  in Second Street now the joy of opening up   our prezies Brian and Jen have just spent  eight times Megan's budget in one spree   we did very well this morning we've got some  great additions to our lights so I'm very very   pleased with what we've got okay that must be  that bit oh wow oh isn't it pretty that's cute oh look at that oh that's pretty  that is gonna look so nice in the   dark it is isn't it that'll just look  real it's just gonna line up the area I've been playing with the idea  of dressing up some of the kids   dolls so that they're like a little  nativity scene so I'll have to um get   some Hessian sacks for their clothes I think  individuality is celebrated on Second Street   but come switch on bigger and brighter might  be better Aussie spend an estimated 100 million   dollars on Christmas decorations  each year it's a monster business but if you're looking for oversized  Christmas lights check out Victoria [Music]   in mickleham just outside Melbourne one single  amazing house provides enough Christmas cheer   to light up the neighborhood for a staggering  seventy thousand dollars their giant Santa is   three stories high we're so big now I've got  to get Cherry Pickers to put things up I never   used to do that and one of 12 fantastic light  sculptures so massive airline passengers can   catch the show as they fly over we were lucky  enough last year to have a couple of Pilots   come through very late at night and they did tell  us that yes you can see it as they're flying over   the top of us it's Wayne wedding slows Recreation  of the North Pole gave so much sad through the   year with dramas happening everywhere somewhere's  got to be happy so we make this the North Pole   and it's the happiest place to be [Music]  first thing you see is Santa 10 meters high   and you've got Sanders cave where you've got  Santa's chair and we've got other parts where you   walk once you walk into Sanders cave you can walk  out the other side and you can see more lights   you've got Santa and attract the Santa and fire  engines and Mrs Claus riding a motorbike the light   display it can take you 10 minutes to walk through  or it can take you four hours to walk through   it's hard to believe now but the display  actually started quite humbly back in 1991   I'd say definitely yes over the years it has  become an obsession if there's a Christmas shop   around Jan's got to go visiting and it doesn't  matter where I go I find a Christmas shop Scott put it on top of that  rope and I'll sit on it then   I think I've spent at least 70 000 on  crispirations we haven't gone without a lot   we do go without holidays we don't go on holidays  anymore we have all our decorations in here as you   can see you've got Santa Claus just as just his  hand that's just Santa Claus hand each Christmas   a small army of friends and neighbors gets to  work very smoothly everyone knows who's doing   what and everyone loves coming in to do it now I'm  getting more people and more people want the help and he's up Wayne's lost track of how many lights  he has he stopped counting up to 50 000. they run   2.5 kilometers of power cords hook up 28 different  Power boards and plug in 50 double adapters put up you're going to test make  sure it works which means it's   too big to run off the local grid  they need their own power stations   they can run everything off the generator now and  I can go inside and still boil the kettle [Music]   so what makes someone this obsessed when I  was um 10 years of age mum and dad passed away   and um I lost a lot of Christmas time because  I was put into a home now I want the happiness   to come back into it again and see the kids smile  that's that's my life now if you can make the kids   happy it's a good place to be the money raised  goes to the Royal Melbourne Children's Hospital   The Royal Children's Hospital means a lot to me  because they've helped me again hearing back in   both my ears because it was slowly going down  and they said I was going to go deaf and yeah   I'll just collect donations to give back to them  so they can buy more equipment after a whole week   of preparation it's the big switch on night okay  the North Pole is officially open and welcome luckily the wedding slows had parking for  200 cars they get visitors by the thousands   we're gonna have the big  countdown now here we go ten nine five four three two one [Applause] [Music] four weeks of the Year Victoria has its own North  Pole it's the joy that it brings other people to   see the kids faces light up but it's not just the  little kids either we have a great range of people   come through different age groups and everybody  is just amazed I think it brings people together [Music] Jan and Wayne hope they can pass their legacy On  to the Next Generation when I get older I hope   my kids will take it over they'll be still there  backing them and I'll be still saying how to do it   even though I'm in a wheelchair [Music]   imagination coming up milk  bottles are there to diffuse   the light so that you get a nice glow coming out [Music] straight the pressure's really  building [Music] you can't imagine the   kids faces when they walk past the place  and see it no one wants the worst house you   want to make sure you look good and people  don't laugh at our pathetic effort [Music] [Music] as we count down to Christmas Day Aussie streets  are positively glowing no matter where you live   there's always a neighborhood trying to light  up a smile on every passing face [Music] and bus driver Peter Rose sees a lot of passing  faces you really gotta make sure that it's tight   that it's secure and it's in no way is it going  to move because it's on there for six weeks   five years ago Peter asked his  Depot manager if he could spruce   up his ride for Christmas my idea of  a bit of tinsel in his idea a bit of   tinsel were completely different so I  probably went a little bit overboard   okay and it may not seem like it but there's  about 300 meters of tinsel and there's over 300   likes each year Peter and his son Ben transform an  everyday City commute into a magical tour [Music]   you ready for those testimon  and I'll check them for you   on yeah front aisle yes right light yeah  rope lights good done all done excellent good you see the happiness of people you don't  ever have a grumpy passenger and every   penny raised goes to the Westmead Children's  Hospital 3150 thank you very much oh cheers   much appreciate it thank you thank you  very much now that's worth the bus fare [Music]   meanwhile back on Second Street in Sydney there's  just three days to switch on we love Second Street   with all the lights because it's fun walking  around the street meeting everybody you don't see   from year to year it took me to set up one month  every Saturday I work on seven up to 12 a night we   have secret weapons they unveiled on the night all  the neighbors work together to turn it into one of   Australia's most spectacular Christmas streets  but some second streeters are better organized   than others this year we got practically all new  lights they say you should test your lights before   you even put a mark boat wheel too eager to get  them up so we haven't tested anything yet [Music]   Abby Winspear and her mum Susie are trying to  get ahead for the first time in 10 years [Music]   it's my favorite time of the year it's it's  better than birthdays it's better than chocolate we usually end up putting the lights  up on the day I was a light up night   we try to get organized beforehand  but it just never happens   is somewhere have a big budget so each year  getting stuff down from the roof is a bit of   a lottery we might it's looking really old  and Rusty and half the lights don't work can you bear to put Rudolph in the bin yes yes  it's a shame check them out [Music] we don't own   a ladder we need the ladder to put things up and  we just borrowed everyone else oh Brian and Jen we   leave the fence or lorries or somebody's so you  can see this is endless Abby and Susie might be   struggling but on this street there's no avoiding  the Christmas light up I've got a headache already although the pressure's on in Second Street the  good news is there's plenty of help here we are   first time is Megan and Andrew are calling  on reinforcements I don't think anything can   prepare you for it and the number of lights so  what are we in for this is our 10th Christmas   here and we've done it every year because we  live next door to Lauren so you get a lot of   help neighbors Joe and Sharon remember how  daunting it was when they started [Music] hundreds of people at first I really need some help we quickly became  aware of what a big deal it really is Megan had   big Eco plans and a budget of just 50 bucks yeah  so that's what we have to do I use my cutting out   skills for many years whatever we do as long as we  do something and we've put a heart and soul into   it I think it'll be great but as the big day gets  closer Megan's starting to have reservations the   whole idea of Christmas lights is the spectacle  and the illumination and without having the lights   that is probably my only fear that everything  else we're trying to and do will be lost Megan's right to worry once you're hooked  into Christmas lights Aussie style There's   No Going Back things just get bigger Bolder  and brighter throwing some techno Wizardry   and you might just get a showstopper like this  one in Queensland if you see lights flashing   in perfect sync to music in the cinnamon  Park area of Brisbane this Christmas you'd   be forgiven for thinking it's a teenage Rave but  no this is the dedication of a retired engineer   been referred to as clap Christmas light addiction  problem checking these connections there are quite   a number of in Australia and around the world  that suffer from this addiction I think I've   solved that problem Jeff Harvey's Obsession  has culminated in a display of more than 80   000 lights all synced perfectly to music by our  mind-boggling computer program setting the lights   up to the music is centrist-like filling in  a big spreadsheet each light connects to a   particular computer Channel and then for each of  the channels you can turn lights on turn them off   fade them up and down or twinkle them I guess  we call it in the trade a blinky flashy system   I can't resist going over for his big  switch on uh lots of wires as you can see   it controls the spinner no doubt he's an engineer  every cable has its place I started getting into   lights to impress the grandkids I do it now for my  own satisfaction some of the kids really love it   for the rest of you Aussie light  Fanatics here's the stats 170 Mann hours   programming 500 computer channels  through 10 kilometers of cable   to synchronize 80 000 lights This One controls  mega tree mega tree what a name yeah mega tree it's got about 20 000 Lots the milk bottles are  there to diffuse the light so that you get a nice   sort of glow coming out rather than some bright  Sparks bringing Christmas cheer to the community   is a big bonus but now it's a major tribute to his  late wife Jenny who passed away earlier this year   since oh I've passed away I've taken a very  different approach to money the costs associated   with doing the display uh several thousand a year  probably this is my hobby I don't count the cost   I can't wait to see this switched on oh  it's I think it's brilliant of course   you do give yourself a wrap I would you spend  enough hours doing it right come on let's go   all Jeff's hard work is about to pay off  so what does happen now well you know the   computer turns them on at the appropriate  time [Music] hey [Music] [Applause]   look out Hollywood [Music] [Applause] [Music] all Jeff's time money and know-how brings  so much joy to his community [Music]   family Christmas beautiful lights  congratulations mate what a fantastic job the Christmas tree is spreading  up and down the country   coming up there's check out shock on Second  Street today's grand total is 2 313 and they're   not the only ones spending up big anything we  see that looks different we just tend to go   and buy and we discover the secrets behind  Australia's most iconic Christmas display   so just imagine going to bed at night thinking two  or three million people have seen your puppetry [Music]   all over Australia we're counting down to  our own special brand of Christmas it's hot   sunny and oh so bright when you ask an Aussie  what's for Christmas they say you bet [Music]   on Second Street Sydney neighbors have put  on a monster show for the last 23 years they're getting ready for their biggest ever  switch on no matter what it costs there's no   cost on Christmas lights can't put it that way  it's Christmas spirit you can't imagine the kids   faces when they walk past the place and see it  this year actually we've put up a whole lot of   new stuff just for this year that two and a  half thousand dollars it's also a chance for   the streets young talent to shine what we're  definitely looking forward to Christmas this   year because like Christmas is a very special  thing for this street we all enjoy it the feeling   in our community at the moment is we're just  getting excited about the build up to Christmas   what Christmas Street spectacular  would be complete without the kids band   you have to just play the recorder  with miles and it was fairly small   but then we kind of asked some friends  and it became a big thing that was good Jen is another new addition   although husband Brian's been here for 23  years Jen is already making an impression so it was time for a bit of a woman's touch  and I just said to Brian Wright I'm starting   from scratch give me a credit card and off  I go Jen's pretty special lady she quickly   met a lot of the neighbors and that was quite  successful they uh they all put up with her [Music]   they're beautiful since Jen's moved to Second  Street her sister Kath has noticed a big change   she's really happy here very happy for her  and she's found happiness on Second Street   and I think that a lot of it has to do with  the neighborhood and the people and Brian   of course but a lot of it has to do with the  fact that there's such a strong Community here   oh one more it's about you're the lucky one to  put the last one on when do you want to put it   I'm happy that moved into Second Street because  it's a lot more interesting and cheerful than   the other state I need to go there Abby yeah yeah  beautiful perfect thanks kids is fantastic doesn't   it I think we've got the best Trends straight  what do you think [Music] yep come on got it yep   got it okay drill Community is contagious here  and one bloke is often the source of infection   Laurie McGinty beautiful he's pretty much the  caretaker of the whole street all year round   what we'll do is put it behind Santa first  Laurie's a very caring and uh kind guy he   does a lot for the neighborhood for other  people and that's on all levels you know we   have neighbors who come and knock on doors we  have neighbors who have keys to homes what'll   happen the light up will be on the 19th same  Villas as usual with the barbecue and friends   over and all that fun and I think that's  about Community that's about caring for   people rather than being stuck behind four walls  and not worrying what's happening on the outside [Music] nothing would keep Mal and Deb  indoors at Christmas wow wow   they're creating a Winter Wonderland  theme shop is beautiful thank you   and now they're hitting the  shops for something special they've got baubles they're in the market  for a new tree for Deb's prize decorations and they want a second opinion from Master of  Ceremonies Laurie that tree would look perfect   in your place it's just beautiful I could spend  all day here truly there's so much stuff here   that I could use but it's just a matter  of finding the right spot for it [Music]   Tacky in the past so he's keeping it simple so  I'm looking for bells and again more silver and   white ornaments just to give it more Sparkle  I suppose more of a white Christmas effect   something like that would be perfect I'm not  sure where you put them in the garden [Music] we don't have children so we don't have the  expensive children so we do have a little bit more   disposable income so this is our Christmas toilet  paper we have a bit of a selection we usually   have more but we've been wiped out a little bit we  never start out with a budget we always know we'll   probably spend Maybe up to five hundred dollars  but some years we've gone over that and some years   we've not this is a half tree so you need to have  a wall for it to it does need to be supported well   it would just mean that all the decorations  will move on site yeah it is a beautiful tree   like I I love this you like the feeling yeah when  you've got quality decorations or family heirlooms   that you hang each year you want to look after  them but what do you think I'm thinking [Music]   it's the first time for Megan and Andrew  I like these Stars too they're gorgeous   they were going all out to recycle and spend  just 50 bucks like would they be okay outside   but they're starting to bow to  pressure when we think about our lights   Godzilla is as many as you can get on so thank  you so we're looking to get as many lights as   we possibly can I really like this Angel yeah  we'll get that one that's gorgeous they're still   shopping for second hand but they've decided  to up their budget a little flights here we go   they're gorgeous actually the main challenge for  us I think we'll be justifying spending money on   buying a lot of light I think we've only got  one string of light so far and that was for   our Christmas tree these have worked really  well in the garden wouldn't they you know you   want to make sure you look good and people  don't laugh at our pathetic effort [Music]   how you going good that's good Second Street  has another convert I've only got one that's   clear but we've got the lights yep so how much are  these you know well I've I blew my budget a little   I spent 75 but I got eight  sets of Lights which is awesome well we have got um this is the most  beautiful suit that we have Mel dab   and Laurie haven't finished Christmas shopping  there's a Second Street tradition that needs   updating size wise yes I think you'll be  perfect this is the um size it should fit   you extra extra large it's got the perfect  frame for Santa Mal is Second Street Santa   I think I sort of got nominated for it because  of my larger size exposure natural build natural   build yes last year well it's still more than  you really have it's time for a new suit Merry   Christmas make that two new suits Laurie said  to me the other week wouldn't it be great if   we had to Mrs Claus and I said yes I think  that's a good idea and he goes a new beard   it's just a new ID and we'll probably  it'll probably become a everything now   especially if we're going to invest in a set  Mrs Claus suit today's grand total is 2 313. that's our biggest speaking thank  you oh my goodness I can't believe   how much we've bought oh my goodness it's  just been amazing what an amazing shop shopping is so much a part of Christmas   Aussies will spend around 40 billion  dollars this year on all the trimmings   but there's one shopping tradition that doesn't  cost us a cent Christmas window displays [Music] the story behind Australia's most famous display  starts with a little boy who once thought he'd   never speak okay the year was 1951 and David  poulton's stammer made him an easy target for   playground bullies so he became mute from the  ages of five to seven he said nothing then I   had a teacher put a puppet on my hand and I spoke  through this puppet changed my life it always gave   me confidence that little boy grew into one of  Australia's most revered Puppet Masters one of   the many strings to his bow is the creation of  Christmas displays for department store Windows   around the world I love the expression and I love  what you can do to people you can lift people you   can make them happy so we'll make the loop there  yeah and we'll use only one of these on the base   minus the largest balls perfect hidden away these  Noosa Workshop David conjures up Christmas magic this year he's creating six window displays With  A Christmas Carol theme for David Jones in Sydney   it would have to be about three million people  see the windows so just imagine going to bed   at night thinking two or three million people  have seen your puppetry the job is so big it   takes 10 people six months to pull it off you  see it's not just hand crafting each character   it's engineering hundreds  of automatic puppet actions   with electric motors and kilometers of string we  tie about 10 000 knots a year and we buy our nylon   in a 10 kilometer spoil so the local fishing  shop does wonder what we do with the nylon and   we operate them on a camshaft and on this shaft  we attach cam wheels and puppet is choreographed   with this string and the cam is cut into the  shape we need and if that's not complicated   enough once David's team get it working here  and so I can assure you saves hours of Tangles   they have to pull it apart and truck the  whole thing a thousand kilometers to Sydney   we can't control traffic we can't control  accidents we can't control floods that's   the part when I'm most nervous if anything  breaks on the road it could be disastrous we'll catch up with David later hope everything gets there in one piece Journey [Music] there's something about puppets  and Christmas lights that go together and if   you're anything like the gaiki family in irmington  you can never have enough of both [Music] we moved in here about 10 years ago  since then we just got bigger to the   point we've just about covered every spot  we can travel within the house now at last   count that collected more than 200 characters  and objects for their playful display [Music] anything we see that looks different or more  appealing than than we go and we just tend to   go and buy and say that'll look good here and  there and that'll make people happy and that   would enhance our display hello Mrs Claude we  have a lot of the fun stuff on the lawn and in   the carport we have all the nativity so that's  all there for people that just like to see the   holy stuff but the craziest thing is they have to  bring it inside every night for six weeks we're   out there till 11 30 minutes every night then we  have to bring all the toys back in because John   first fingers car in then you see and we  bring them in the night and we bring them   out every every night then but does that  put off John and Mary not on your life training I have a sneaking suspicion that I have  far more fun than everybody looking over the fence   it's just a lovely feeling to to have so many  people be looking over our front fence at our   display John reckons his display might  even rekindle the Christmas spirit in   any bar humbugs who might pass by I think  those people who are prepared to knock   Christmas and really do need to  take a good hard look at themselves well done guys well done [Music] next a last minute race to meet Showtime   you wish you lost a bit of weight and the  search for Perfection on Second Street   light it up honey [Music] oh my goodness the  porch is worrying me it looks a bit too light [Music] Christmas is nearly here and we Aussies are going  all out for world domination in our new national   sport Christmas lights everyone's searching for  Illuminating inspiration and for some the light   bulb goes on in the middle of the night I can't  sleep at night thinking about what I can do and   then I asked my bike would this be all right  would that be all right and just know it might   be a good idea and I get the ideas of place  match Christmas cards Christmas paper anything   from Quaker's HealthWorks his Christmas magic  in Wood characters slays houses you name it   and he doesn't think about the cost I'll get  it so I never budget my wife gave it crooked   I don't take much notice of that yeah there's  something about Christmas lights that brings   out our creativity at the end of every year or  if you're as fanatical as Peter all year round   I start thinking about what I'm gonna do for  the next year straight after I pull them down imaginations have been working  overtime in Second Street too [Music] report to showing off the lights but you'll  come from this one miles and jump up here   I'm gonna be an elf wearing enough costume we  want the elves to have fun and enjoy it and help   Santa along the way there will be a surprise in  the night so stay tuned it's one of the biggest   and longest running displays in Australia we had  a late start this year probably got an hour or so   to go and we're done everything should be right  they worked last night so we hope they all work   tonight with our fingers crossed all the Neighbors  in 60 plus houses are wiring up their own designs   now we can put start putting the baubles on okay I  would imagine there's going to be at least [Music]   2 000 mics this year Mel and Deb are  hatching a white Christmas to wow the crowds   in the true Spirit of  Christmas everyone's roped in   this is Kate my niece she's been a  great little helper over the years   she's helped out myself and she's also helped out  Laurie as well being an angel in Laurie's front   yard I like helping because it's really fun and I  get to see what they're putting up before anybody   else does see Dad here it is this way but you've  got to unthread it see and there's no Escape for   Deb's 80 year old dad Eddie dad has always helped  with the Christmas lights from the very first year   he's quite sprightly so he's good at getting  up the ladder It's a Long Way From The Humble   decorations Eddie grew up with all we ever  had was streamers in the in the lounge room   just streams you know these haunted just stretchy  like concertina things it's more uh more expensive   today that's for sure Mel and Deb have spent  more than three thousand dollars this year alone I don't know what to think of them  but is it enough what do you think   Annie honest opinion no it looks good  looks good you're a liar Mal's still   super sensitive about his display  being called tacky one year [Music]   it looks a bit plain during the day but once  you light it all up looks good yeah licorice and what's a Christmas Spectacular without lollies  on Second Street there's the great Lolly giveaway   to every single visitor oh beautiful you can smell  it I think we started off with about 500 lollipops   initially uh just as a nice thing to do but that  was a long time ago yeah a few years ago and last   year we got through just over 7 000 lollipops wow  oh goodness we've broken the record we now have 16   000 lollipops it's all good and these  to share with people of course Prime   you're up still got room [Music] Second  Street does get thousands of visitors   and Lori and Brian are happy to blow the  budget [Music] just over a thousand yeah   that's all right Christmas isn't about money  it's about doing something for someone else   about giving and that's what Second Street  and the whole idea of Second Street is totally   about last box in behind sixteen thousand  lollipops let's play rock and roll let's go big switch on is tomorrow night so Susie's 15  year old daughter Abby has hatched a plan to   catch up we have a whole lot of people coming  this afternoon to help us put out the lights   and things which is in part of 35 people she  rang me at 12 o'clock today while I was at work   busy as anything mum will you kill me so Mom are  we gonna have a PowerPoint in the mailbox or last   like last time please don't be a spider please  no there's no spiders don't worry about spiders we try to get organized beforehand  but it just never happens   so so Mom are you winding them round the  tree or are we sticking them along the   sides of the tree there's hardly a plug  wide or light hung without trusty brine   from up the road yeah I was looking for these  earlier I know they're here somewhere [Music]   there we go just what you need wonderful the usual  thing is come down and get the ladder first uh one   of the two ladders and then um then there's all  the bits and pieces that go along with it but yeah Second Street isn't the only place in a bit of  a rush Australia's biggest puppet show has just   hit town ready to be installed for its Premiere  how does the Walker straight out we'll put it on   the footpath there the big question on everyone's  mind is have all the pieces arrived here safely   our Voyage to Sydney in the nine ton truck  is the most risky part of the whole job   that's the part one I'm most nervous  but it appears that everything has   arrived I'm certainly not going to admit  to any mistakes at this point but Maestro   David poulton has spent half the year creating  the intricate displays in his Noosa Workshop   we're gonna go this way in you're right like  a giant puzzle each bit has to be pieced back   together perfectly it fits Nathan well done  and then squeezed into six cramped shop windows   just win you wish you lost a bit of weight one of  the exciting challenges of building windows are   actually getting them in the windows push so when  we come to build the set we always have to bear in   mind that the physical size of the componentry  it's tied in it and if that wasn't tricky   enough I tell you it has to be done covertly  after dark to remain hidden from the public today's a little bit of security involved in our  windows we want the opening day to be a surprise   with the hardware in place by morning they  can start unpacking the star attractions the amazing thing is when you unwrap them you  think oh yeah and you get quite excited seeing   them again because they're like old friends  [Music] physically rebuild them and we put   the strings back on and we just keep testing and  testing in a Precision built display nothing's   left to Chance the movements move about a hundred  thousand times in the six weeks so that's quite a   lot of pressure and strain on a string so we use  a fishing swivel so that the string always has a   little bit of movement in it you can make a puppet  or a doll but the secret is to bring it to life   that's when we get excited [Applause] [Music]   David's six window theaters finally come to life   hundreds of choreographed movements will  run 24 hours a day for the next two months [Music]   look at little kids eyes in their  grandparents eyes and that's the thrill of it foreign it's about second Street's turn to shine Laurie's  finishing up his display which hasn't changed all   that much over the years this is very much more  traditional setup for Christmas for us there's   nothing really overly modern or outrageous Laurie  and his dad built this when his parents were alive   so it means more to him than any other  decoration they would love to see it   continue and be sharing with the thousands  of people we have come through the street and   I still put their picture on the front round  to Richie so they're there in a different way light it up honey three two one  hope this works oh my goodness the night before switch on Mal and  dab are down to the final testing   oh my goodness what do you think people are  going to think Kate I think they think it's cool   the porch is worrying me it looks a bit too light it's it's 80 there but it was never going  to be perfect so Laurie and I are going   shopping at 8am tomorrow morning are you  really going to be shopping oh my God at   the time already I think we've got enough  but but you can never have enough light when we come back past Second Street got what  it takes to be the Christmas Street in Australia all right [Music] [Music]   all around our amazing country  we're switching on for Christmas oh where does Christmas lights  quite like we do in scale size in Canberra Phil jansen's collection is  surely the most expensive in the land if   anyone could take it upon themselves to count sir  my favorite part is Santa falling down the chimney   I am definitely crazy Phil I enjoy  putting the lights up every year it   has to be better and better all the time and  that's what I'm trying for [Music] [Applause]   to match the sheer size of the witting  slows gigantic Father Christmas I've had a lot of people that have  come in from overseas and I said we   don't do this over in England  no so but we do it over here   while Jeff Harvey's computer-controlled  Wonderland is truly mind-blowing [Applause]   you see it working after after all that's long yes we Aussies love lights and the  spirit of Christmas they bring [Applause]   now it's second Street's turn to shine  oh that's really good no that's perfect   I like that there that's fine beautiful yeah  must be getting excited now oh yeah look what   I'm saying thank you see you later everyone's  confident this will be their best display ever come night four a crowd starts gathering  at the top of the Street near Laurie's   place where he and his parents  started all this 23 years ago [Applause] [Music] six one one three two one [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] foreign s excelled themselves Laurie's place is  spectacular it actually feels fantastic um I   I the number of people and houses with upmistry is  just unbelievable [Applause] [Music] it's actually   sharing that joy and that fun and that excitement  amongst the the mothers and fathers and the   children and they take away something that costs  nothing and what about Brian and his new wife   I think Jen's earned her place on Second Street input this year you can see happy faces around the   place and the lights you know I just  look at people's you know reactions   to the lights and the countdown was  fantastic you know it was just a buzz and this one Susie and Abby blew me away not bad  for a last minute job well we did it amazingly   what time what time's the clock in um ten  to eight we finished and how's this for a   white Christmas Even the snow worked out worth  every dollar you must feel so proud there it's   a fabulous Street fabulous people fabulous  neighbors I'm loving it I am really really   happy it was great last year but this year's  an 11 out of 10. so congratulations it's a   great effort then there's the newest addition to  Second Street not too shabby for a DIY budget job wasn't our choice but we got involved  yeah but he's like well too I mean yeah and another new entry in the Second  Story history Mrs Claus hello Merry Christmas Merry Christmas everyone [Music]   the picture Laurie's parents could never have  imagined all those years ago I reckon they'd   be really proud of their street tonight and all  the neighbors rejoicing in Christmas spirit it   all starts with one life what an amazing night an  amazing Street an amazing Aussie Christmas [Music] wishing you all a Merry Christmas from  the McGinty family past and present Merry Christmas from the wise family Merry Christmas from Jen and Ron Merry Christmas from dinner now [Music]   Merry Christmas [Music] I can't wait for Christmas we saw the Christmas tree yeah  rude up nose with a big red nose [Music]

Channel: Banijay Home and Garden

Views: 1,293

Keywords:

Id: DsCzRKCCSTk

Length: 69min 25sec (4165 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 22 2023