Tremains light up Christmas in Bay

Fairy lights sparkle and festive decorations adorn houses and gardens across Napier, Hastings and Havelock North this festive season.

The 12th annual Tremains Christmas Lights, which runs throughout December, is even bigger and better than last year.



Once daylight fades and the lights turn on, a magical streetscape appears.

People all over the region have embraced Christmas by decorating their homes, buildings, gardens, letterboxes, trees, vehicles and more for the public to visit and enjoy.

Tremains support the event, which continues to grow, with more entries and sell-out double decker bus tours around the dazzling venues, showing there is no chance the lights will fade out any time soon.

"Both the number of entrants and the number of lights are up on last year," Tremains general manager Fraser Holland said.

"Buses are all sold out, which is amazing, we are running the same number of buses as last year."

If people missed out on the bus tours they can still participate by getting a map from any of the four Tremains offices in Hawke's Bay or downloading one online at www.tremains.co.nz or www.classichits.co.nz, and heading to the marked destinations.

This year the streets which have really excelled are Palmbrook Ave in Havelock North and Oxford Place in Taradale.

Palmbrook Ave resident John Stuart has been involved with Christmas Lights for about nine years and adds little by little to his display each time the festive season rolls around.

Mr Stuart said the event appealed mostly to families with children and in the lead up to Christmas cars had been bumper to bumper on their usually quiet street.

"Like a lot of things to do with Christmas it's good for the kids."

"For older guys like me, I'm touching 80 - what appeals is the nativity scene," Mr Stuart said.