28 000 lights to create the magic of Christmas

Photo Martin Alarie
Until Christmas, the home located at Saint-Léonard is lit 28 000 lights.

Matthew Payen

Saturday, December 9, 2017 21:46

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Saturday, December 9, 2017 21:46

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The 28 000 Christmas lights adorn a house in Saint-Léonard, attract each evening hundreds of children amazed.

The owner of the place, Mike Cecere, is a true Christmas lover. “I work in the confectionary, then I believe that the spirit of the season flows in my veins “, says the man in his fifties.

Photo Matthieu Payen

Mr. Cecere has started to decorate his residence there 12 years, adding every year new decorations. In total, this passion has cost him 350 00 $.

“The cost is not important, what is important is to put smile to the lips of children “, lance-t-il.

Photo Matthieu Payen

Reindeer, father Christmas, figurine of the nutcracker, a crown of five feet in diameter, giant nativity scene, a tree of light, and even red carpet to the entrance.

To achieve this to install a real Christmas village, it took 90 hours of work and the help of a mobile crane.

Photo Martin Alarie

The decorations are installed by the owner Mike Cecere and his friend Pierre Quenneville, who dresses up as a leprechaun to greet the children.

Mr. Cecere has also been able to count on the valuable reinforcements from his son Michael and his great friend Peter Quenneville.

This last is now assigned to the role of elf who hosts the music and with the smile of the curious, large and small.

Photo Matthieu Payen

“Every night, between 100 and 200 families come to visit, he assured Mr. Quenneville. The other day, it is a bus of seniors who stopped. And I can’t count the people that we are a wave of the hand passing by in a car. “

Against the blues

Mr. Cecere installs its decorations as early as mid-November, and those who feel it is too early, he replied : “people are depressed and stressed in November because the sky is grey and it is cold. Then, it brings in a little light. “

Photo Matthieu Payen

The Montreal recognizes, however, that, without the snow, the holiday is not perfect. “We would like a thin layer of white, it is so beautiful. But not more than ten centimetres at a time, otherwise it may cause damage to the decorations, ” he says.

Giant star

The passion of Mike Cecere for Christmas does not seem to have limit because it wants to install next year on its roof a giant star that is 30 feet with 50 000 lights. A madness that costs $20,000.

He just has to send in a request in this sense to the City and hope that the officials share his taste for the magic of Christmas.

Photo Matthieu Payen

Photo Matthieu Payen