By Faith Macale
For 30 years, Melton local Sandra Brogan has spread Christmas cheer around her neighbourhood with an annual Christmas display at her home.
The annual display started when Sandra’s dad started decorating for Christmas with some blow-up reindeer and Father Christmas at his home, and when he moved to Melton, he continued to do it for the kids in the neighbourhood.
Three decades later, Sandra continues the tradition.
“One Christmas Eve, we had nearly 300 people come,” Sandra said.
“You can’t get a park in our street or the street opposite me.
“They park around the corner and walk back.
“It’s really quite nice.”
The theme changes yearly – this year’s is white Christmas – but one consistent part of it is her daughter, Kelli, performing carols.
“Growing up we didn’t have expensive decorations,” Kelli said.
“As a family we made decorations, always had a Christmas tree and always celebrated together.
“We would watch Christmas movies and talk about how cool it must be in America to see the houses decorated.”
Last year, she released her Christmas song, Joy When we Believe, to celebrate the holidays.
“My family’s love of Christmas was the inspiration for my song Joy When We Believe,” Kelli said.
“The lyrics describe the pleasure and wonder we see in children at Christmas time and the togetherness of families at Christmas.
“Everything I experienced as a child and even now at Christmas is what I tried to capture in the lyrics of that song.”
Kelli said she loves performing at her mum’s house for Christmas.
“In the past, when I was living at mum’s, I performed most nights during December,” she said.
“I will perform this weekend and every night from next Thursday through and including Christmas Eve.
“It is always so much fun as the community enjoys the live music and the atmosphere it creates while looking at the lights.
“Some even have requests, as they come back each year.”
Besides the display and musical performance by Kelli, Sandra has also prepared a surprise for the children.
“On Christmas Eve, we have characters coming,” she said.
“This year, we have Bluey and Bingo, Father Christmas, The Grinch, Mother Christmas is coming.
“We’re also having Olaf and Elsa from Frozen.”
