So we all know someone who loves Christmas but what about those people who go all out every December?
Well as lighting specialists we knew a few… so we got in touch with some of our favourite customers with the biggest displays to understand what’s involved and why they do it!
The First Christmas display we’re going to look at is one from the Tipping family in Preston, Lancashire which comprises of Mark, Nicola, Samuel, Joseph and Isaac Tipping.
Mark Tipping and his family first started their Christmas light display when their children were born. Mark’s wife Nicola has always loved Christmas so when the children were born they naturally decided to put a few lights in the garden. They didn’t realise then that every year as their children grew so would their lighting display. Once Christmas rolls around you ‘wouldn’t believe this house ever just used a couple of fairy lights’, Mark says. Now they start planning their Christmas display in September and this year has been no different. They’re using almost 30,000 LED lights including Mark’s favourite, the large Santa’s sleigh on the roof.
4 years ago the Tipping family invited friends, family and neighbours over for beer, hot dogs and a raffle while they switched on the lights. That first year they raised just over £8,000 for their chosen charities.As that year was so successful they decided to bring back the hot dogs and managed to sell over 1,000 hot dogs and 3,000 beers to all the people who came – not just friends and family anymore. In the past 3 years the Tipping family lights have raised around £35,000 for their chosen charities!
The Tipping family are showing no signs of slowing down especially since their efforts are now being recognised… earlier this year they were nominated for a British Citizenship Award. Mark said they, “were excited to be nominated and never expected to win”, so you can imagine how shocked and excited they were when we got the call to say they had won. Even more exciting than this was physically receiving the award. Both Mark and Nicola went down to London to visit the House of Commons in June to receive their medals.
Now not only has the past week been exciting for the Tipping family because they have turned on this year’s Christmas lights. It’s also been an exciting week as it has finally been announced that they have been hand-picked by David Cameron to receive a Point of Life Award for all the charity work they have done.
If you’re wondering what charities have benefited from all the great work the Tipping family have done, their chosen charities include ‘Jordan Grant 18’, the ‘Chris Rand Fan Club raising money for Rosemere Cancer Foundation’ and ‘Derian House’ – a charity that is both local and close to our own hearts.
You can find the Tipping family display at PR4 0LF in Preston, Lancashire and on Facebook.
