Lighting up the season
Nothing says Christmas quite like, well — a Christmas lights extravaganza. Kayden Hayes, 12, and her parents, Shannon Hamill and Steve Hayes, set a festive mood with the lavish display at their home on Falaise Drive in Saanich, visible from the Pat Bay Highway. It’s an annual tradition for the family, despite adding hundreds of dollars to their electricity bill.
A move to Saanich from Sooke means a lot more people will be able to “believe in the magic” of the massive Christmas light display shining brightly from the home of Shannon Hamill and Steve Hayes.
The family had been building the display involving 20,000 bulbs every Christmas for years at their former home in Sooke. They moved to Saanich so that their 12-year-old daughter Kayden is closer to Commonwealth Pool where she trains as a diver.
Their Falaise Drive location means a lot more people will enjoy the lights and Kayden can see it every day as she leaves the pool.
“I love the fact you can see it from the Pat Bay Highway. That’s going to be the best,” said Hamill.
The Christmas lights extravaganza had its genesis about a dozen years ago when Hamill had a daycare in Langford and was looking for a project for her charges. It continued when they moved to Sooke and has steadily grown.
Assembling the display takes a week to 10 days and adds about $600 to the family’s December electricity bill.
“It was a big deal in Sooke. People would leave notes on the door and stuff. They’re probably looking for us so they’ll have to look on the Pat Bay Highway now,” Hamill said. The display grows every year, often with donated lights. “People give us stuff,” she said.
“We have a pile [of lights] that we’re throwing out this year that is probably more than most people have,” said Hayes, 38, saying, “I’m too lazy to fix them. If I plug it in and nothing works, it’s gone.”
His “arch nemesis” are the icicle lights, a style Hayes loves, but they often end up with only half a string working.
As a contractor, he’s a bit of a Jack of all trades — all trades except one: electrician.
“He keeps popping breakers. We need an electrician,” Hamill said.
There’s no real theme to the display, which Hayes calls “an open canvas.”
“We’re just seeing what we have and what we can do. There’s a lot more we can do. I’m honestly not happy with the trees. I need way more lights. I need to go right to the top,” he said with a matter of factness that only the truly obsessed would understand.
The family last year had the “Believe in the Magic” sign made. Hamill said it pretty much sums up the display.
“It really is magic. You find the extra 600 bucks to pay Hydro. You find extra days to put lights up. All of it is magic.”
There little doubt that Kayden has caught a bit of the obsession. Asked what she thinks of the display, the 12-year-old replied: “It needs more.”