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Christmas lights in Portishead left on to cheer up passers-by

BBC Christmas tree with lights on outside of a house.BBC
A group of neighbours have kept their Christmas illuminations going

Households are keeping their Christmas lights up in the hope it will "bring a bit of happiness".

Christmas decorations are traditionally taken down after the 12th night of Christmas, which comes in early January.

But residents in one area of Portishead, near Bristol, have chosen to leave theirs up to counteract the gloom of the pandemic.

Mum-of-two Ali Nevill says she hopes the lights will "cheer up" passers by.

"We thought if we could bring a bit of cheer to people's lives on their way to work or out for their evening walk then it was worth doing," she said.

Some Christmas lights decorating the front of a house in Portishead near Bristol
Households in two streets decided to keep the lights up
Christmas lights on the front of a house.
Jeremy Nevill said: "The kids that go past love it"

Her partner Jeremy Nevill said: "All the kids that go past love it, and all our neighbours too. It's just nice to be able to bring a bit of happiness."

Ms Neville's neighbours in Lapwing Close, Rachel Aiers and her daughter Maddie, also decided to keep their illuminations up.

She said: "Because of Covid it's been a really tough year for everybody."

Family looking up at decorations outside their front door.
Ali Neville and her family left their lights on to cheer up neighbours and passers-by
Mother and daughter standing together outside of their home.
Rachel Aiers (pictured right) says the decorations will make people "happy"

Ms Aiers was admitted to hospital with coronavirus on 25 March and is now doing speech therapy to get the strength of her speaking voice back.

She added: "We wanted to keep everybody happy."

'Cheered me up'

Ms Aiers' parents Lynn Lockyer and Chris Lockyer who live nearby said they might even leave their Christmas lights up until the clocks go forward in March.

"It cheered me up so much over the Christmas to see the lights on in the village and all around and felt that I didn't want to turn them off when you're supposed to," she said.

"So I Googled, 'is it unlucky if you leave them on?' and apparently no it isn't, so I'm leaving mine on."

Christmas lights decorating a front garden.
Christmas decorations are traditionally taken down after the 5 or 6 January