DECK the halls with Christmas lights - that's the message from a York family whose decorations have made them the talk of their neighbourhood.
Denise Howlett has been decorating the family house in Westfield Close, Haxby, for the past five years, and is now famous in the community for her Christmas style.
"Everyone knows me in the village now, just because of the decorations," said Denise, 41.
"People come from all over the village just to look at the house.
"We have three children, and I started doing it for them really, they absolutely love it.
"But everyone else does too. It really lights up the cul-de-sac."
Now Denise wants to extend the Christmas cheer they bring to help those less well off.
She said: "We want to use the lights to raise some money for charity, to put a box out so that people who come and see them can enjoy them and help Children in Need at the same time.
"The only thing stopping us at the moment is we can't find a good donations box, but I'm sure we'll turn one up in time.
"And I'm sure we will be doing it for a few years yet - we've invested too much to put the lights away just yet."
Updated: 08:56 Tuesday, December 09, 2003
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