# Illuminated Christmas houses that raise funds for charity

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/12/18/christmas-lights-raise-funds-charity/
- Published: 2014-12-18T20:42:09+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Lights! Christmas! Fundraising action!**

If you are going to spend weeks decorating your house with Christmas lights and 
then attracting visitors from near and far to your road, you might as well do it
to raise funds for charity. At least that might placate the neighbours as the crowds
descend to stare and enjoy the spectacle.

Some Christmas light displays nowadays are achieving remarkable effects, often with
thousands of coloured lights, sound, and movement.

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Here are just some of the striking charitable Christmas light displays we have come
across.

## 1. Best of Star Wars in Newark

Tom BetGeorge in Newark, USA, has used over 100,000 lights to create this stunning
_son et lumiere_ performance around his house.

The money raised, presumably from visitors’ donations, is given via his church to
help poor and homeless people.

 

## 2. Frozen in Dagenham

Andy McNab (not the author) and his family have decorated their house and those 
of several of their neighbours in the style of Disney’s ‘Frozen’. The crowds of 
visitors are being invited to donate to the children’s burns unit at the Broomfield
Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex.

_[Video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4YbT1mWh\_0 no longer available]._

 

## 3. Haughton illuminations

The villagers of Haughton, Staffordshire, put on a large display at Christmas involving
lots of houses. Here is their 2012 display. Residents typically raise £5,000 in 
donations to charity each year.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIlFtDGuMXM

 **Do your charity’s supporters have anything that can beat this? Have they raised
large sums in this way?**

**Let us know in the comments below. Even better, post a link to a video of them.**

_Photo: [house Christmas lights](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-112403636/stock-photo-home-decorated-and-lighted-for-christmas-and-for-new-year-eve-at-night-at-vancouver-canada.html)
by Romakoma on Shutterstock.com_ 

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