Spirit of the season: (From right) Dorney, Christe and their son putting up Christmas decorations outside their home in Taman Teluk Molek, Butterworth. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
BUTTERWORTH: Teluk Air Tawar is a quiet coastal suburb in Seberang Perai Utara with almost nothing to attract visitors.
But every Christmas period, this residential area comes to life with bright sparkling lights that draw shutterbugs from far away.
Here in Taman Teluk Molek, contractor Charles Dorney has turned his house into a Christmas magical wonderland with snowmen, reindeer, candy canes and all sorts of colourful twinkling decorative lights.
An eye-catching, giant inflatable climbing Santa is also perched on his porch.
Each night, motorists, passersby and other curious folk stop in front of the house to snap photos of the magnificent decorations.
Dorney, 52, said this has been part of his Christmas to-do list for 30 years.
“I have been preparing for this since I was living at my parent’s place in Pantai Bersih. But those days, the decorations were not so elaborate and I didn’t spend much on them.
“This year, I spent about RM10,000 on the decorations,” he said.
Dorney said the special decoration this year was to celebrate the family’s move into a bigger single- storey semi-detached unit in August.
“We bought this house about three years ago, but could only move in this year due to renovations. Since it is the first Christmas for my family in this house, I wanted to make it a grand affair,” he said.
It took Dorney and his wife Christe Samasundram, 47, about two weeks to put up all the decorations.
“I have used thousands of bulbs and Christmas-themed ornaments to decorate the house.
“We still have a few more items to add and are hoping to get everything done before Christmas Eve,” he said.
Christe, an accountant, said her husband enjoys the tradition of decorating their house each year.
“It’s a way of sharing the Christmas spirit with others.
“It feels good when people stop by to admire the decorations and wish us well.
“The excitement and spirit of togetherness it brings is incredible,” she said.
The couple, who have a 21-year-old son, plans to host an open house on Christmas Day for their family members and friends.
Factory worker Cynthia Lim, 43, from Bagan Lalang, said she and her family were having dinner at a restaurant along Jalan Teluk Ayer Tawar when they saw bright lights nearby.
“We decided to check it out and were amazed by how much effort the family put into decorating their home,” she said.
Lim and her family later took selfies in front of Dorney’s house.
Civil servant Noor Mudzalifah Mohd Samsudin, 34, brought along her children to admire the lights and outdoor decorations after seeing it on social media.
“My children were very excited to see the decorations,” she said, adding that they have created a festive atmosphere in the neighbourhood.
