A Dublin mum whose home is decked out in an amazing Christmas display of lights has said it has made no difference to her electricity bills despite the cost of living crisis.
Anita Daynes, who lives in the South Dublin suburb of Tallaght, adorns her home in Christmas lights a whole month before the big day on December 25.
Her yearly traditions have caught the attention of the local community year-in-year-out and now, she has revealed the reasoning behind her early festive spirit.
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She explained that she puts the decorations up ahead of time for her son Kallan, who has non-verbal autism and who adores the routine of Christmas.
She has an amazing display of decorations inside her home as well as outside for the world to appreciate, which include a life-size snowman, Grinch-themed window art, and flashing neon Christmas lights.
Despite the ongoing issues facing families in relation to the cost of energy, Anita says she hasn’t seen any increase in her bills, although she usually turns off the lights out at around half ten.
She told Dublin Live: “I pay my own electricity bill and I haven’t seen a difference in it.
“I think it’s actually cheaper to use Christmas lights. I knock them off at around half ten or eleven o’clock for the neighbours.”
Dublin Live took a look inside Anita's home, who revealed it was even more festive than the exterior.
The kitchen table is already decorated with red and green Christmas cutlery - although Anita explains the delph needs to be washed daily to prevent dust.
The festive display is so popular that Anita is considering setting up a donation drive for the first time. She would like any funds to be given to the national autism charity AsIAm to help support children like her 6-year-old son Kallan.
The Irish mum said: “I might do donations next year as there will be even more decorations then, all the way up to the roof. If I tried doing them myself though, I’d probably fall off the ladder!”
Her annual tradition has also encouraged her own family and friends to put their decorations up ahead of time.
Although Anita says she grew up in a household where decorations were only put up Christmas week, she said her parents now have the house fully decked out before the Toy Show.
The family also has something to give back to Santa from last year: a medical glove he was using while delivering presents last year.
Anita’s children will find out if he’s collected his belonging on the morning of December 25.
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