Christmas-crazy family set to turn their Horsham home into festive wonderland

The King family are to light up their home in Cottingham Avenue from December 2 to raise funds for the Make A Wish charity – for the fourteenth year in a row.

Mum Sallyanne King said: “When our children were young we enjoyed decorating the house on every occasion: Valentines, Easter, Halloween and Christmas – Christmas obviously being our favourite.

"It all started with decorations we already had and items we purchased reduced in the January sales. This, as you can imagine, over the years has got a bit out of hand and we now have a shed in the garden just to house all of our Christmas decorations.

“Originally we did this for our own children's pleasure, we then started to get lots of visitors so then decided to do this as a fund raising charity event.

“This is going to be our 14th year – the first two years we raised money for St Catherine's Hospice. After that we've been raising funds for 'Make a Wish.' The reason for the change was that I worked as a nursery teacher at a local nursery school and one of the children’s sister had experienced the great work they do by granting her and her sister a final wish.”

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It normally takes Sallyanne, her husband Grahame and eldest daughter Carmel two weeks to set up their twinkling displays. Meanwhile younger daughter Carrina promotes the display on the internet and organises raffle prizes ready for their opening night – when cakes, mince pies, tea, coffee, chocolate and raffle tickets are on offer and “the spirit of Christmas is brought alive,” said Sallyanne.

“We have a just giving fund page set up whereby people can donate on line, we also ask people to donate by popping money through our letter box – this is a huge favourite with children because as soon as money is posted, the snow machine is set off.

“Every year I say 'let's make this our last' but I am outnumbered by my husband and two daughters.”

The lights will be on from 4pm - 10pm at the King’s home in Cottingham Avenue every evening throughout December from December 2.