The Kiwi Christmas Display here in Blenheim New Zealand

The Kiwi Christmas display is located at 11 Endeavour street in Riversdale, Blenheim. It has been operating as a free to view display since 1996 and became a walk through display in 1998. The origins of the display hark back to 1978 when my mother Wendy Selwyn decided to share our Christmas tree with passers by by placing it in a window. On the corner of Boyce Street and Hiley cres here in Blenheim it was seen by many. It was in those days a simple 3 foot tree with tinsel wire branches you had to push in to a wooden pole. On it was placed a 20 piece light set of 240 volts. A year later to surprise her daughter she painted pictures on the windows facing the street. It was Santa in his sleigh with the reindeer and a message bubble of wear your seatbelt. She continued for the next 2 years with alternating messages of wear your seatbelt and dont drink and drive. In 1980 her husband Brian brought back a 240v 100 bulb light set from a tour of service in Singapore. The first of its kind in New Zealand and Mum sellotaped the lights to the window and thus a simple display was born. It continued the following year before Brian transferred to Wellington. That first year a display was created on the lounge windows and deck of their Endeavour street house this continued until 1995 when my parents moved back to Blenheim. They purchased the Endeavour street property and I came down 2 days before Christmas with a car loaded with the basic necessities of life.... a camp stretcher, bedding and the like. Also packed in the car was a small 4 foot Christmas tree, several sets of lights and a few decorations. It was a mad panic to unpack the boxes set them up under the window of the bedroom with windows facing the street, set up the tree on it and cellotape lights around the window then cut down the 8 foot high strawflowers which blocked the view and the light through almost every window in the house and so the Endeavour street display was born.

What do we do. Over the years we have created a walk through Christmas display broken into themed areas that flow together to make an immersive Christmas experience. Although primarily focussed on lights, the display includes a range of decorated trees, an area to meet Santa when he is available, a winter wonderland area set in blues and white cool tones, an area of Christmas villages, a tree walk and a beach area.

Why we do it. As I have mentioned before, my mother started the display by putting our lit Christmas tree in a window to brighten people's days. That same thinking is what is behind the evolutions in the display. To brighten people's days, to give something to the community that isn't commercialised, doesn't cost money to visit and will bring pleasure to as many as possible.

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