Village Matters

Lighting up Sunbury

By Monica Chard 

In these dark times, meta-phorically as well as factual-ly, we need to see the light. So how about lighting up our lovely village? 

Tracey and Stephen Lons-dale, who tirelessly create the stunning Christmas House on Green Street every year, are once again committing to taking on this mammoth task and work is well underway! 

“we feel the world is so much darker this year, the virus has stolen so much we decid-ed that in these unprecedent-ed times we maybe could be a little light in the darkness” says Tracey. 

Knowing how much pleasure the Christmas lights give every year, how about spreading more of it around? Sunbury Matters reader Pat Petch got in touch and suggested that everyone should get involved. “Everywhere I go it’s rather grey and everyone is feeling low key about Christmas. So here’s an idea that means we can light up Sunbury very easily and enjoyably and cheer people up – especially the kids. What’s more, it is socially distanced and will not break whatever rules are in place by Christmas!” 

Pat suggests selecting a room in your house or flat that overlooks the pavement or road so pass-ers by can see it, then get some LED lights and put them up around the window INSIDE. So no getting cold doing this and no ladders or lighting cables to fall over. Not only that but it’s easy to turn these lights on and off. Then decorate your window. You could stick decorations on the window pane or hang up decorations, or make a twiggy tree and put it in the window and add more lights, or get a tiny tree and decorate that – the possibilities are endless. You can use as many lights and decorations as you like. LED lights are fairly cheap to buy and run. It won’t annoy the neighbours, in fact if a whole neighbourhood got involved and did it, it could cheer everyone up. Just see this as a way of saying Happy Christmas to everyone who lives around you. The good thing that has come out of this year is that we all take time to say hello and get to know our neighbours. Pat Petch told Sunbury Matters “I had decided to ignore Christmas this year. But if I do that everything will still be grey. So let’s all light up for Christmas”. 

Well said Pat. Let’s see if we can light Sunbury up like never before! I will certainly make an effort myself. Much in the same way as the NHS rainbows and teddies and latterly the window pumpkin displays, it makes for a jolly trail around the village and will cheer everyone up. 

Do email photos: monica@villagematters.co.uk 

Happy sparkling Christmas Sunbury!