If you’re ever walking down this east Hamilton neighbourhood during the holiday season, there’s a festive house that just might grab your attention.
On Dunsmure Road, east of Ottawa Street N., a house that looks like it’s made of gingerbread, with a yard completely covered in festive blow-up decorations, sits in the middle of an otherwise inconspicuous neighbourhood.
Kevin Greenhalgh has been living at his home for 10 years and around seven years ago, he got a couple of blow ups and “decided to put them out.”
It started with eight or nine inflatables, but now, he says, there are almost 50. At night, many of them light up.
Greenhalgh says he has never really been a big Christmas fan, and referred to himself as a “bit of a grouch” but age and grandchildren softened him up a bit.
His favourite part, he says, is seeing kids’ reaction as they walk by.
“The kids have a ball coming by. They run around and… take pictures and stuff like that, so it’s pretty good,” he told CBC Hamilton.
Stephen Elliott, a neighbour of the area, says he walks by the house almost every day.
“It’s wonderful being able to see all the lights, it puts on a show,” he said. “I think it puts everybody in a good spirit. You see people stopping by to get photos with it all the time.”
“I think it’s great of them to do. Must be a ton of work as well.”
His child, Neve Elliott, said, “it’s really cool how they change it almost every day,” referring to the fact Greenhalgh moves the inflatables around, including bringing some in and out of storage to keep the rotation going.
“It’s really cool. Every holiday, they do a really big display,” they said.
Greenhalgh didn’t say how much his electricity bill is or has increased, but he keeps a donations bin where neighbours will pitch in.
“A couple of the neighbours donated blow-ups and stuff like that. It’s like, ‘yeah, bring them over, I’ll put them up somewhere,’” he said.
Greenhalgh keeps an eye for a good inflatable deal year-round, always looking to expand his collection.
“I pick them up at flea markets and sales and stuff like that, yard sales,” he said. Right now, Greenhalgh’s favourite inflatables are a snow globe and a gingerbread house that the kids seem to really enjoy.
Greenhalgh starts decorating in November, and it takes him around 40 hours and lots of help to finish his setup.
Even so, he doesn’t quite have enough space in his front yard for his entire collection, so he keeps a few in storage and, with permission, puts some big inflatables on his neighbour’s driveway.
“The kids love it. That’s what it’s about, right? The adults, [too] they come by at night, they’re out here taking pictures,” he said.
“They bring their dogs and ask if they can take pictures. It’s like, ‘yeah, no problem.’”
When asked how many years he plans to continue putting up a big holiday show, Greenhalgh said “as long as I can.”
Do you live in one of Hamilton’s most festive houses or apartments? Send us a photo of your display and contact details to [email protected].
