Every year Clarence Town couple Erin Fitz-Gibbon and David Neilson decorate their house with Christmas lights to help raise money for charity. This year, the couple are raising money for the family of Shannon Purser who suffers from stage four neuroblastoma.
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Dungog Shire is getting into the Christmas spirit but one couple in Clarence Town go above and beyond every year.
Erin Fitz-Gibbon and David Neilson both decorate their house at 48 Sheriff Street with extravagant Christmas lights and decorations to raise money for a variety of local charities and bring joy to the town.
"I'm very creative and I needed something to do, something creative and the kids loved it," Ms Fitz-Gibbon said.
"It just grew from that."
"I've enjoyed doing it, it's become not just my lights now, it's become Clarence Town's lights and I think it's important to the town after you have miserable years like COVID and the drought.
"They've got something nice to look forward to... It's a nice community feel."
The iconic Clarence Town Christmas lights began when Ms Fitz-Gibbon and her partner entered a local Christmas lights competition in 2006.
After winning the competition three years in a row the duo stopped entering to give the rest of the town a chance, however they have only upscaled their display to do it on their own and raise money for local charities.
"There used to be a local competition and we won that three years in a row... We stopped entering because other people stopped entering," Ms Fitz-Gibbon said.
"The first charity we raised money for was the Cerebral Palsy Alliance."
The inspiration for beginning their charitable work with the Cerebral Palsy Alliance came from the duo's experience with their daughter, Tanika, who has Cerebral Palsy.
Since then, the couple have broadened their charitable horizons to encompass local charities ranging from a young girl with a rare form of Leukaemia named Poppy Grace, to drought victims.
The couple changes which charity they support every year.
"It generally depends on what's going on," Mr Neilson said.
"We've raised money for drought relief when we're in the middle of that."
This year, the couple are raising money for the family of a five year-old girl from Raymond Terrace named Shannon who has been diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma.
Treatment has failed for Shannon and she will eventually lose her fight against the disease, therefore money raised will go towards supporting her mother and four sisters following her passing.
"It definitely hasn't been easy," Shannon's mother Jessica Purser said.
"It's been difficult, we've got a lot of support but it's definitely been hard."
Ms Purser found out about the Christmas Lights charity from Ms Fitz-Gibbon's neighbour who recommended that they get in touch.
As well as raising money for charity, the Christmas lights have become a staple of the Clarence Town community with people from across NSW coming to see the displays.
The Christmas lights have also now expanded to encompass a number of people living along Sheriff Street, where the lights are located.
"We get people coming from Newcastle, Central Coast, we get people coming from a really long way... We've had people from Sydney," Ms Fitz-Gibbon said.
"The biggest amount we've raised was last year which was just over $12,000."
Above all else, the display is about bringing joy to the local community in the festive season.
The children love it, according to Mr Neilson.
"A lot of locals love it, it brings a lot of people a lot of happiness," he said.
"Sometimes you'll get the same family come through several times."
Mr Neilson estimates that the light show draws thousands of people.
As a result of putting up lights for so many years, Ms Fitz-Gibbon has learnt some handy skills along the way.
"I'm pretty good at fixing lights now and not getting electrocuted," Ms Fitz-Gibbon said.
"I've been electrocuted, it wasn't very nice."
The fundraiser barbeque will be held on Saturday, December 17 at the lights display at 48 Sheriff street.
Donations are not mandatory, however the couple appreciate anything that people are willing to give. For more information visit the Facebook page Clarence Town Christmas Lights.
