For the past 21 years, residents of Kidlington’s Vicarage Road and Webbs Way have been festooning their homes with Christmas lights to bring some seasonal cheer to neighbours and visitors who come from miles around to have a look. 

The family

The lights are a family affair for David Parke who celebrated this year’s switch-on with his daughter and grandchildren.

A resident of 36 years, the retired programme manager for Thames Valley Police, welcomed daughter Lisa Rainey, her fiance Tom Rainey and grandchildren Sam, two, and Will, eight months.

Mr Parke, married to retired secretary Maureen, 65, said: “A lot of the people have been here since the houses were built.

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“There hasn’t been a great turnover, it has continued strongly ever since it started 21 years ago.

“It is the start of Christmas. We have children who grew up here bringing their own children.”

The cost of such fun is negligible, the grandfather-of-three said, adding: “It takes a day or so. Generally people put them up on the same day. It is really cheerful and gives you a feeling of the season.”

His daughter, 37, an osteopath who lives in South Oxford, said the lights were a tradition as she grew up.

She said: “It is nice to have a community that gets together annually. It has a nice community spirit, not many people leave the area so you catch up with people.”

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  • Tom Rainy with his son Will

The Ringleader

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  • Brian and Jo Hawtin

Retired local Government officer Brian Hawtin, who started the tradition, said there was not one house this year that wasn’t aglow with seasonal lights.

This year’s lights had a grand switch-on on Sunday with mulled wine and mince pies, said Mr Hawtin, a resident of 36 years.

The grandfather-of-two, 77, married to 72-year-old retired administrator Jo, said: “I started many years ago a Christmas party and we decided to do something different and we would put our lights up. Everybody in the road contributes to it. It has just become a tradition.”

The good neighbour

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  • Freda and Bob Taylor

Bringing neighbours together is why so many enjoy putting the lights up, said retired engineer and resident of 40 years Bob Taylor, 73.

The grandfather-of-five said: “It’s not expensive. It is a delight.

“It brings the community together.

“Neighbours are busy people and it is the only time of the year we get to talk to people at the other end of the road.”

Mr Taylor, married to Freda, 71, said: “When I was working and didn’t come home until 6.30pm and saw it ablaze, I thought, ‘It is great to be home’.”

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