Night becomes day in the backyards of some members of our community. With an overflow of love for their children and grandchildren, thousands of lights brighten their humble garden. Iresspective of cost and effort, it’s their own way to have the spirit of Christmas in their home.

Two of this Christmas gardens in Melbourne belong to members of our community – Fotis Panagiotopoulos at 42A Thomson Street in Northcote and that of Mr Christos Theodorou at 360 Porter Street in Templestowe. This year, as every other year, thousands of Victorians will visit these gardens and watch in awe and wonderment.

Christos – who has been awarded for his Christmas lights – says he was bitten by the decorating bug 15 years

This year, as every other year, thousands of Victorians will visit these gardens and watch in awe and wonderment; while Fotis took up the decorating caper ten years ago. Both confessed it is an incurable obsessesion.

“When you see the pleasure on the faces of children when you see them look at me with eyes wide open; that spontaneous joy painted on their face, you know you have to keep doing it,” says Fotis. Even though every year he says he’s tired, the 70-year-old does it for his grandkids, and the joy he brings to other Victorian childen.

For Fotis, the decorating begins on the first of November. With the lights on his back, the pensioner climbs the roof and begins the pageantary on his humble Northcote home. Nativity scenes, reindeers, Santa Claus – the whole Christmas kit and caboodle dress up the Northcote home. The wonderment he provides allows Fotis for a month to step back into childhood too.

And as I sit there and see the illuminated joy on the childrens’ faces I have no doubt that Fotis is doing exactly what he should. The laughter and delight through the atmosphere he’s created with over 10,000 lights is more than just a bright glow, it’s a whole world for these kids

In the ten years he’s been doing the Christmas lights, Fotis says he has been in excess of $10,000 – and says he spends at least another $500 on electricity bills around that time but he’s quick to add that it’s “totally worth it”.

In another neighborhood of Melbourne in Templestowe, Christos Theodorou has created his very own Christmas pageant in his front yard. Over 25,000 lights, Chris has gone one step further and set up four computers to synchronise a musical spectacular to his lights to the suprise of thousands of visitors each year.

“It’s a hobby, it’s what I enjoy doing,” says Christos.

Every year, Christos sets himself the challenge of syncronising a new song for his decorations.

“When I see the faces of people who come to see it I get the greatest pleasure,” he says.

And, he has a donation tin for the visitors to give to the charity TLC For Kids Foundation

“This for me is Christmas,” says Christos, “a celebration of love.”

Over the 15 years, Christos says he has spent in excess of $50,000. It has become more than a tradition for his family.

“We don’t celebrate Christmas just for the day or for the week – we celebrate Christmas for two months,” says Christos of the decked out garden.

World renowned Greek composer Yianni was the song of choice for this year with Christos stating that he likes to chose Greek music for his musical extra.

As I stand outside Christos’ house looking at the six metre tall Christmas tree, the thousands of lights all dancing to the musical notes of Yianni, I look down to see a little girl, no older than seven, staring in awe. I ask her what she thinks of the Christmas lights. With her eyes wide and excited she answers: “it’s like living in a fairy tale”.

And with that, I realise the secret of Christmas, that has been tapped into by Fotis and Christos. They’ve created a real-life fairy tale for all to enjoy young and old. The young to seek the wonderment and beauty of human kindness and to revel in innocence and laughter. But for us all to live in a real life fairy tale – even if it’s just for a moment. To leave our worries, and our sorrows at the door and enter the world of make believe. To remember again what it’s like to be young, to be carefree and to smile.

You can catch the Christmas lights every night till mid-January.