The wholesome beginning behind these Gowrie Christmas lights

When Ben Walker and James Crowther were kids, there was one Gowrie house they would always visit at Christmas.

Owned by Kay and Roger Harrison, the Middleton Circuit home was not only decorated to the nines - much to the wonder of a young Walker and Crowther - but it was raising money for cancer research, as well as having its very own Christmas market.

The long-time friends, now 21, were so inspired by the display and its charitable nature that for the past five years they've been decorating their family homes on Stacy Street and Ruthven Street houses, to raise money for MS Australia.

"I remember they mentioned to us when we were younger: 'When you guys get older and start doing lights, you've got to do it for a charity and you got to support a fundraiser in some aspect'," Crowther says.

"It definitely was one of our inspirations for doing a fundraiser for MS and also doing the lights themselves.

James Crowther, Kay and Roger Harrison, middle, and Ben Walker, right have all teamed up to do Christmas lights for charity. Picture by Keegan Carroll

"And it's been great also now that we all work together and send each of our people to each other's places and really work together to grow this to be as big as it is now."

There's a healthy competition that's grown between the two 21-year-olds over the last few years. As well as having matching components to their displays - both have one of the Bananas in Pyjamas and either R2D2 or C3PO from Star Wars for people to find - they often send messages to each other via Christmas revellers.

"I ask them to tell James that I have the better installation," Walker says.

Ben Walker, left, outside his house in Gowrie with James Crowther last year. They have both decorated their houses with Christmas lights to raise money for MS. Picture by James Croucher

Meanwhile, the Harrisons are Switzerland - being a completely neutral party to the jovial competition.

Because at the end of the day, it's all about having a good time while raising money for charity.

Over the years Walker and Crowther have raised more than $56,000. Last year alone, they raised $26,500 for MS Australia through donations and their annual raffle.

Roger and Kay Harrison (middle) host a stall at their Christmas light display to raise money for cancer charities. Picture by Keegan Carroll

The Harrisons have raised about $80,000 in the time that they've been fundraising, about $21,000 from last year alone.

"We have a stall, as well as a raffle where people can guess how many lollies are in the jar," Kay Harrison says.

"We also sell lots of gift items. People come from all over Canberra to buy my rocky road and Christmas toffee, and rumballs, which I make every day."

All three houses will be lit up and taking donations until Christmas. To find Walker and Crowther's online raffle, with $2500 worth of prizes, find Christmas Lights for MS on Facebook.