Rick van der Galien has turned his little corner of Brackenfell into a Christmas wonderland… and folks are loving it.
Hundreds of people of all ages flock weekly to his Dennegeur Street home to marvel at the Christmas decorations.
There are fairy lights strung in the trees along with three illuminated plastic reindeer riding the side of the wall, presents, candy canes and a tunnel of multi-coloured lights.
Rick says he spent about R10 000 on the dazzling display which he switched on for the first time on Sunday November 17.
The lights go on every evening from 8pm to 10pm, delighting young and old, and, whether it’s through the intervention of Santa’s elves or sheer good fortune, Eskom load shedding has yet to rain on Rick’s reindeer parade.
“I love Christmas and so does my fiancé and future mother-in-law. We just never knew it would attract such big crowds.”
Rick says this is the first year he’s decorated his home and “it definitely won’t be the last.”
People have even asked if they can donate money to help him do it again next year, he says.
But the contents of a little collection box at the entrance of the home will be donated to various animal shelters in Brackenfell, he says.