After a decade of lighting up the festive season, it’s the end of an era for Emma and Brenton Gee’s much-loved Christmas display.

It follows the Aberglasslyn couple’s decision to sell the digital set-up, which recently celebrated its 10-year milestone.

While the resolution wasn’t made lightly, Brenton admitted the toll of running the spectacle annually had grown, especially since their family had also expanded.

“It’s sad because everyone was saying how disappointed they are,” he said.

“We’ve done it for 10 years and have pushed hard each December to spread some Christmas cheer and raise money for non-for-profit charities.

“It’s just getting harder with two young children.

“Trying to put them to bed and then also have to get the show running, it can be difficult.”

Emma explained stepping back felt like the right choice now, particularly in the wake of their decade-long anniversary.

“Making it to 10 years was a great achievement for us,” she said.

“However, having the two girls now, it’s just gonna be way too much.

“Every time we do it, we want to put 100% into it.

“We prefer the lights to still be on… just at someone else’s house.

“We want everyone to still enjoy the show; whether it’s around the corner, the other side of Maitland or even Newcastle.”

In fact, the Gees had been regularly floating the idea to pull up stumps.

But, after the 2025 edition, Brenton made the decision that it was time to stop. 

“Emma mentioned about having a year or two off and doing it,” he said.

“So, we had a bit of a think about it.

“I eventually made a rational decision to say no.

“We need to sell it.

“I’d love to see the complete show go to someone local.

“I would happily help them out in the first year or so, setting it up, seeing it run, going to their place and giving them a hand where needed.  

“Our family will go see it as many times as we can to help out and still be a part of it.

“We’ve been criticised for the amount we’re selling it for.

“However, we’ve probably spent four times that amount on all the gear.

“If the Hunter Valley Gardens are interested, we’re happy to work with them, too.

“That way the community won’t miss out.

“I’ve had people wanting to buy it who live all the way in America and some in Sydney and Brisbane. 

“And, I flat out just said no, I want to sell it all… locally.”

The growing popularity of the display also brought challenges, including safety concerns and occasional negative behaviour from a few members of the public. 

But, despite that, the overall response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive with residents expressing their gratitude for the family’s decade of Christmas cheer.

“Since putting the lights up for sale, it’s been wonderful to see so many comments from people sharing the joy and memories our display has given them,” Emma told the Newcastle Weekly.

“We’ve been doing it for a good cause, raising money for Starlight and then Fight for Connar every year.

“We’ve worked hard, so it feels good to be appreciated. 

“I don’t think it will completely sink in until November next year.

“That’s when we’d usually start to put the display up.

“I won’t be sequencing throughout the year and usually I’d be listening to the radio and think ‘this will be a good Christmas light song’. 

“So, in that sense, I don’t think it will sink in until that happens.”

Next year, the family hopes to finally enjoy a more “normal” Christmas with their young daughters, after a decade of missing out on simple festive traditions. 

“We’ll probably have a quiet December now,” Brenton said. 

“We can focus more on celebrating Christmas as a family and go to those events we’ve always missed out on. 

“We’ve always wanted to take the kids to the Hunter Valley Gardens or even something as simple as going to the carols.

“That’s the thing, you don’t want to leave the lights on and not be home.

“We’ve had to be attentive throughout the whole show to make sure it ran smoothly. 

“If something went wrong, we’d swap it out straight away, so cars weren’t lined up waiting.”

In spite of the pressure, the family said the experience had been deeply rewarding.

“It’s been an honour,” Brenton said. 

“The response from the Maitland community has been incredibly touching. 

“We honestly didn’t realise how much of an impact it had until we saw the comments [on social media].

“Our neighbours have been incredible with their patience and support over the years, too.

“Not once had anyone complained. 

“We’ve hit a pretty big milestone.

“And, the positive support from the community is what kept us going.”

For more community stories:

• Hunter sun safety message receives much-needed financial boost
• New kiosk, amenities set for January opening in Foreshore Park
• Landcare veteran Karen Ayliffe humbled by top award

Get all the latest Newcastle news, sport, real estate, entertainment, lifestyle and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Newcastle Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.