Calgary man makes impressive Christmas display for 4 decades

A Calgary man has been lighting his home with a massive display of Christmas lights since 1976 for children because "kids and Christmas go together."

Brady Tattersall says this year there is roughly $500 worth of lights and materials on his house in North Haven, in Calgary's northwest.

"It is something that evolves over time," Tattersall said this week.

"You make something up one year, then you add to it the next year, something breaks, you replace it and put something else on … each year is usually a little different."

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He says this year his nutcracker display has been a hit but last year the penguins were a hit.

"It is not just the kids," Tattersall explained.

"We have had a seniors' bus from Airdrie, they stop out here. The seniors really enjoy it too. It's for kids no matter what age you are."

Tattersall said he started decorating his house and lawn back when there were more children in the community and just kept doing it over the years.

He recalls one little girl who was very impressed by the display.

"She would come at 7:30 p.m. — you could set your watch by it — she would give the Santa a little hug and then she would go home. Her mother said she would not go to bed until she gives Santa a little hug, so that was kind of cute," Tattersall remembered.

He says he hopes his display gives people something to think about.

"I just like to see people happy and enjoying things and it seems that Christmas is a time of good cheer for each person to be a little kinder to each other," Tattersall said.

"Probably the real meaning of Christmas is the kindness people show to each other."