Tour is special for Blake

For Blake Hornsey, Christmas is all about being with family and opening presents, it’s his favourite time of year.

But prior to Christmas his favourite family activity is when the family jumps in the car to see the brightly lit houses registered in the Bayleys Matamata Christmas Lights Tour.

‘‘I feel excited thinking what they are going to be like,’’ he said.

He has been taking the tour with his family for as long as he can remember - in fact, he can’t remember a year they didn’t go. And he gets to go twice every year. Mum Debbie drops her husband off for his Christmas work function and and then she, Blake and his older brother Mason go tiki touring.

They will take the tour again on Christmas Eve as a family. ‘‘It’s our thing,’’ he said. Debbie says some years Blake has even dressed up as Santa.

Blake says he loves all the houses involved in the tour, regardless of how many lights they have.

But his all time favourite was Les Greenwell’s home on Rowan Place - and the fact Les always gave out lollies to anyone who got out of their cars to say hello to him was a big bonus. Les passed away in December 2015. Bayleys Matamata branch owner Margaret Troughton said Les’ home was a regular on the tour for many years, and he did it purely for the joy of it.

And it’s just the kind of house lights Blake aims to have when he gets his own home one day when he is part of the tour.

The Christmas lights tour is sponsored by Bayleys Matamata, Matamata Mitre 10 and the Chronicle.

Everyone who produces their completed registration form at Matamata Mitre 10 can claim 15 per cent off their christmas lights.

Three entrants registered in the tour will win a $100 Matamata Mitre 10 voucher each - drawn at random.