Peter Mombourquette's house in Sydney, N.S., has been one of the most festive in town for nearly 40 years.
It’s pretty much become a holiday staple in the neighbourhood.
"It's very Christmasy. It looks bright. When it is dark, the colours and the lights shine much brighter,” says Mombourquette. “When you get a little bit of snow, that makes it all that much more."
Mombourquette has been putting up his outdoor Christmas display for so long he can't remember exactly how many years it's been. He guesses it's somewhere between 35 and 40.
The crowds have been coming in droves over the years, with many wondering just how he’s able to pull it off.
"I get three main questions,” says Mombourquette. “’Where do you store all this?' 'How long does it take you to put it up?' and 'How much is your light bill?'"
Mombourquette says it takes about a month and his electricity bill tends to be north of $700. Well worth it, he says, to give a gift back to the community.
“I'm directly across from the cove guest home, and the people at the cove really like it," says Mombourquette.
Mombourquette started the decorating when his three kids were small. Now that they’re all grown up, the tradition has come full circle.
"My son in Halifax, he's won first prize a number of times. My daughter is up on Cottage Road, her place is decorated. And my son on Common Street, he's decorated too. So the children have grown with it," says Mombourquette.
At 73, pulling it all off isn't getting any easier. But with help from his wife and his buddy Ray Oake – who Mombourquette calls “his elves” – he says he'll keep doing it as long as he's able to.
"It's not work. It's enjoyment. If it was work then you may not want to do it. But we do it for the pleasure of doing it."
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald.
