The spirit of light

This photo shows only a small part of the Christmas lights that adorn a property on the route to Guildford. My picture of the scene as a whole seemed to lack in detail or just be too much, so I crossed the road and had a chat with the owner who was in the garden, adding touches to his collection. This angle gave a less jumbled scene and this more pleasing shot.

The light collection, the man told me, started about 13 years ago. Many of the features on show today come directly from America but he has sourced lights and models from all over the world, admitting that in early years his lights looked very amateur. There are so many little scenes all muddled together in his small front garden. Santa's train, snow men, and animated reindeer mingle with bright gnomes and elves and a myriad of stars, mushrooms and snowflakes to delight passers by.

Visitors flock from great distances and donate coins, thrown into a dustbin full of water, which are all donated to charity. I'd been led to believe that there was agreement that gave him free electricity to put on the show. That was a falsity. The whole show is self funded.

The man apologised that the roof hadn't been done this year, lights were missing and it just wasn't up to scratch... but his father had died on Sunday.