Dad won’t let £1,000 energy bill spoil Christmas

A Christmas fanatic has refused to let £1,000 energy bill spoil his December – and is spending hundreds of pounds decorating his house with festive lights. 

Paul Hutchinson, from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, said it is a family tradition to cover his terraced house in a twinkling display in a bid to spread joy to the local community.

And this year the father-of-one, 33, refused to let the price of energy deter him, instead forking out an extra £11 per day to keep his home lit up.

Paul Hutchinson, from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, has refused to let £1,000 energy bill spoil his December – and is spending hundreds of pounds decorating his house with festive lights (Pictured with son Francis, five)

Paul adorns his abode with the lights on November 6 and takes them down on January 2 – and this festive season it will cost him a total of £637. 

The Christmas mad dad’s total energy bill for the period comes in at a whopping £1,044.

Paul said: ‘I’ve always put Christmas lights up. The energy company’s hiking up their prices won’t stop me from doing it.

‘These companies are stealing Christmas from families but I’m determined to keep the lights on.

Paul said it is a family tradition to cover his terraced house in a twinkling display in a bid to spread joy to the local community

The plumbing and heating engineer says his son, Francis, five, (left) loves to hang baubles off the tree and gets into the Christmas spirit

‘It costs me £18 per day, as opposed to £7 per day before the decorations go up. But it’s worth it to see the kid’s faces when they walk past.

‘Every child has the right to see Christmas lights and they all love it.

‘People come from all over the North East to see the lights and I put them up when the council puts their lights up so it’s part of the show.’

The plumbing and heating engineer decorates his terraced property each year with lights, a Christmas tree in the front garden, and shiny reindeers.

The abode also features a glittery, golden lamppost and life-size nutcracker and Christmas songs are blasted from speakers for passersby to enjoy

Paul adorns his abode with the lights on November 6 and takes them down on January 2 – and this festive season it will cost him a total of £637

The abode also features a glittery, golden lamppost and life-size nutcracker and Christmas songs are blasted from speakers for passersby to enjoy.

He says his son, Francis, five, loves to hang baubles off the tree and gets into the Christmas spirit.

Paul added: ‘My son loves it. As soon as Halloween is done he wants to hang the Christmas decorations.

‘My mam and dad always put Christmas decorations up with me as a child and it’s a great experience.

‘I do it for the community, no-one talks to each other anymore and it’s a shame.

‘This brings people together and is a conversation starter. We have kids posing with the tree in the garden. It’s wonderful to see.’

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