St Albans homes have been laden with LEDs to be in with a chance of winning the Roads in Bloom Christmas lights competition.
130 families from Alma, Bedford, Alexandra, and Inkerman Roads are hoping to celebrate Christmas with the first-place prize of two bottle of Champagne.
Judging their efforts will be representatives from Aylett Nurseries, Rennie Grove, and county councillor Chris White.
Cllr White said: “It’s an astonishingly fabulous thing to do. There are many chores in being a councillor but this is not one of them.
“The imagination of the residents and work that David Glanville puts in is gratifying because it’s for charity.
“It also cheers up an area that a few years ago was down in the dumps because of major drainage works.
“But David said ‘no, we are going to hold this in the summer’.”
Roads in Bloom has been running since 2013, with summer flower and Christmas lights competitions.
Since then, organisers like David Glanville have raised £11,000 for charity.
David said: “We had upgraded sewage works in Bedford and Inkerman which left roads looking dull and dreary.
“So I started a Roads in Bloom competition with 35 households and then it just escalated from there.
“We are helping the community, and we are giving back to St Albans by helping our local charities.”
Cllr White said he will be looking for originality, for it to be made by the competitors themselves, and a bit of humour.
One year a family painted the three bollards next to their house into the three wise men.
Aside from Aylett Nurseries, other sponsors include The Pudding Stop, Aubery & Finn estate agents, Fns Barbers, Loft, and Rayner Essex.
They, and several others, have all sponsored raffle tickets, and prizes, with a bottle of Champagne for second place.
Third place will win two bottles of wine, and fourth will win a box of chocolates.
Rennie Grove Hospice, Centre 33, and Open Door will each receive a third of any money raised.
The competition finishes on Wednesday, and the judging takes place on Thursday.
The winners will be announced on Radio Verulam on Friday.
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