A CHRISTMAS STORY
For three decades, Margaret and Graham Johnston have delighted families at Christmas time with a festive display at their Dubbo home.
After 30 years however, the feeling is that 2019 might be the last time. Mrs Johnston, in particular, is reluctant to say it is the last year because they’ve both loved giving joy to the community over all those Christmases.
They have also raised thousands of dollars for Early Intervention from the many visitors and to all those generous people, the Johnstons say thank you.
FOR 30 years, Margaret and Graham Johnston have delighted families at Christmas time with their wonderful festive display at their Lakeland Drive home in Dubbo.
For many reasons, 2019 is looking like being their last.
“I’m normally used to having my granddaughter help me but she’s away at university and it’s getting a bit of struggle getting up and down ladders and moving things around,” Mrs Johnston told Dubbo Photo News.
“We’re in our late 70s and you’ve got to sort of say ‘enough is enough’. We’ve also got to worry about our lawn now too. We had it put in last year at great cost and having people walk on it won’t do it any good with the water restrictions and drought, so we’ve got to make it last,” she said.
The Johnstons moved to the house in 1988 and started decorating with a Christmas tree on the front lawn. Today, the decorations they bring out each year fill a 30foot container.
“It’s filled to the brim when they’re packed away into their boxes. I’ve got stove boxes and fridge boxes, absolutely jammed packed,” Mrs Johnston said.
“I couldn’t count them because we also have a lot in the actual house ourselves, apart from the rooms I decorate at the front of the house.
“I started with four tiny houses and now have a village of about 50 houses. We’ve got a fairground in the middle of that village, and merry-go-rounds. I do have enough to do two villages and there’s a train, there’s multiples of things.”
The couple have thoroughly enjoyed giving their community pleasure at Christmas time which they’ve used to raise funds for a local charity too.
“We’ve never gone out and asked people for donations.
If they’ve wanted to, they can. The donations go to Early Intervention. I used to work for Myer and one of the managers there suggested Early Intervention because a lot of people come from out of town to use the facility and we thought that’s a good one for the whole district, for the children.
“I couldn’t tell you how much we’ve passed on over the years. It would be quite a few thousands (of dollars). Early Intervention did give us a presentation one time and there’s a Graham and Margaret Room there now.
“In the first couple of years I think we gave the money to the Base Hospital who used it to buy pictures for the children’s ward,” Mrs Johnston said.
This year’s decorations at the Johnstons will be on display from two weeks before Christmas.
If you’re planning a visit, please be mindful of the lawn and follow designated paths.