Passion behind Rotorua Christmas Lights Trail success
Covering their house and garden in fairy lights has become a bit of a ritual for Debi and Neil Barnes - but they love doing it for the kids.
The couple were among the winners of this year's McDowell Professionals Rotorua Christmas Lights Trail and are known for their amazing displays on Blomfield St.
Each year they come up with a new plan of attack and spend days testing the lights before they can even begin the decorating.
Mrs Barnes said although getting the lights ready could be frustrating, it was worth it.
"We do it for the kids and just to see the reactions from people. The kids really enjoy it, when you hear the oohs and aahs from them, it's just payment. It's good to get money for the school as well, it's a great bonus - schools are always screaming out for money."
Putting the lights up wasn't the hard part. As well as testing them, bundles of bubble wrap were used to mold the lights into the desired shape. Mrs Barnes said her husband had become good at pulling the strings of lights to pieces, ready for reinvention.
McDowell Professionals Rotorua operations manager Kylee Douglas said Mr and Mrs Barnes had entered the competition year after year. Her 8-year-old daughter loved the couple's house, there was "something magical" about it for the kids.
The other houses in the competition had also done a great job. Ms Douglas said all of the entrants had put in a lot of work.
"It's just too hard to judge, too hard to compare one house to another. In the past we have used different methods of judging - people's choice, judges choosing the top or the top three - but at the end of the day, what do we judge on? So we changed it."
Ms Douglas said there had been 20 winners chosen this year, each of whom received $250 prize money to be donated to a school or kindergarten of their choice.
The prize money was donated by The Daily Post, Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust and More FM.
Ms Douglas said as well as the money, the winners of the first-time entrants' prize were given a four-burner barbecue, which went to 11 Emerald St. See Monday's The Daily Post and below for more pictures.
Christmas Lights Trail
Holdens Bay
76 Robinson Ave
Lynmore
41 Basley Rd
45 Thelma Pl
19 Devoy Dr
Central City
1290 Eruera St (McDowell's)
Glenholme
51a Holland St
Utuhina
10 Corlett St
Pukehangi
19 McCahon Dr
11 Emerald St
58 Blomfield St
75 Pegasus Dr
3 Campbell Pl
Western/Selwyn Heights
10 Park Rd
3 Tui Rd
54 Kea St
Homedale
41 Joanne Cres
Fairy Springs/Kawaha Pt/Koutu
10 Aquarius Dr
3 Barnard Rd
20 Darroch St
152 Fairy Springs Rd (Mini Golf NZ)
Ngongotaha
15 Ranginui St
13 Kokiri St
9 Kinder Pl
