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Christmas light display connects the neighbourhood

Ethier and Sinclair family’s holiday decorations are attracting the attention of neigbours
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Dave Ethier and Audrey Sinclair expect their grandkids will soon be part of their Christmas light decorating crew. (Heather Colpitts/Langley Advance Times)

By Jim McGregor/Special to Langley Advance Times

When Dave Ethier and Audrey Sinclair moved to Langley from Cloverdale three months ago, they made sure to bring along all their Christmas and Halloween lights and lawn displays.

Ethier says he enjoys the sense of community that their displays generate.

“When we lived in our Cloverdale townhouse, I had noticed that no one was really decorating there and I first started to put up a display to get ready for our grandkids.”

As Ethier’s displays grew bigger, others started to appear.

“It almost becomes a bit of friendly competition, to see if someone can do something different than the other neighbour. I think there has been something lost with two people working all day and everyone being so busy now. People have lost that connection with many of their neighbours, and I find that our displays at Halloween and Christmas get people to stop and chat and that creates a sense of community.”

MORE – INTERACTIVE MAP: Langley is lighting up for the holidays

Sinclair, who grew up in a small town, High Prairie, Alta., enjoys the people their display brings out.

“We had over 400 kids at Halloween at our other place and they all have their parents with them,” she shared.

“This is such a welcoming neighbourhood. When we moved in, a neighbour brought us a plant and a list with the names and locations and phone numbers of all the people in the cul-de-sac and then with their kids bringing them over to look at the lights, we get to know them. It’s like we’ve lived here a long time.”

Their house is located at the corner of 209th Street and 50B Avenue, in Langley City and lights up the corner.

“Right now we have more than 8,500 lights and some neon ribbon lights and LED displays,” Ethier said.

“I want to add more, but this being the first year here I have to see where it fits best. Our last place was a three-storey townhouse, so this rancher is a lot easier to decorate. But what I’m really waiting for is when the grandkids are ready to help put everything up, but we’re not quite there yet.”

The outside lights are Ethier’s responsibility and Sinclair is in charge of the tree and interior decorations.

“I let him do his thing outside, ‘’said Sinclair. “He’s really just a big kid. And he says the display won’t grow, but it probably will.”

Ethier grew up in Langley in the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s and left after school.

“Now, I’ve come full circle and it’s nice to be in a neighbourhood where people bring you homemade bread or tomatoes from their garden. That’s just like the Langley I remember. It’s a warm, comfortable feeling to see that even though the community of Langley has grown so much, those small town beliefs are still here.”

Ethier and Sinclair invite everyone to put their display on your Christmas light tour. It’s a simple way for them to give back to a welcoming community.

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and

OTHER DISPLAY: Christmas fundraiser lights up Gloucester Estates

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