TWENTY-FOUR years of decking their home with a unique display of lights every Christmas will come to an end when Terry and Gerry Bertoli turn off their lights on New Year’s Day 2018.
Thousands of Bay locals and visitors have made the trip to the Bertoli’s Baywood Chase home to view the fruits of the Byron Bay couple’s labour.
Gerry explained, “We have been doing our house in lights every Christmas for 24 years and its time for us to retire.
“Putting up all those lights is very time consuming and we are not as young as we used to be.
“We felt like it’s about time we got to celebrate December and Christmas with family and friends instead of all the work, installing the lights.
Over the last 9 years many thousands of dollars in donations raised have been given to two local organisations.
“We’ve donated around $14,000 to the Byron Hospital Auxiliary for much needed equipment and around $1000 to the Suffolk Park Rural Fire Brigade,” says Gerry.
The Bertoli’s Christmas display consists of over 20,000 lights and are on every night in December from 7.30 to 10.30 pm.
“We’ve always been out the front to welcome Bay locals and visitors, including many overseas backpackers who can’t celebrate Christmas with their own family and friends.
“We will miss it all and the many people we meet, but all good things come to and end and it’s us this year.
The Bertoli Christmas lights will switch off for the last time on New Year’s Day, 2018.