Family who turned their home into Spalding Christmas wonderland won’t be deterred by thieves

A family has refused to let heartless thieves dampen the festive spirit after transforming their home into a giant Christmas wonderland - to raise money for a very special cause.

Big-hearted Gary Jones is about as close as you can get to a real-life Santa Claus, dedicating his year to coming up with fresh ideas to ensure visitors have a real cracker when he opens his garden in Spalding up to the public in the build up to December 25.

This year’s Grinch theme will see youngsters and their families invited round to pelt the Christmas villain with snowballs and laugh as he’s escorted away by the elf police.

But that is just one small part of the excitement you can expect at Gary and wife Stacey’s Acacia Avenue address, where the front and back garden are brightly lit with an array of Christmas lights and characters.

No space is wasted as there is also a Santa’s grotto, elf police station plus a Grinch lair - complete with smoking chimney - to wow the kids, who will each be handed paper snowballs to chuck at the green rotter.

This will be the sixth year Gary - who dresses up as Santa for the event as well as visiting schools in the area as St Nick - has opened his garden to the public to raise donations for Boston Pilgrim Hospital’s baby unit and bereavement office, spurred on to say thank you to those who have helped him through heartbreaking periods of his life.

Gary and Stacey sadly lost baby Reggie two years ago, while seven-year-old daughter Ava - who will get in the mood by dressing as the Grinch’s foe Cindy Lou Who - also received vital help after her birth.

“My little daughter she was born the size of my hand and the special baby unit did a lot for us. They couldn’t do enough for us,” Gary explained.

“With the bereavement, I can’t thank them enough for what they did for my wife and me.

“In my eyes thank you is not enough.”

While planning each year’s spectacular normally begins in January, it’s not until September when work begins on transforming the home.

But this year’s preparations were hit when thieves stole £80 from a charity box the Joneses keep outside their home last month.

Undeterred, Gary - who builds many of the props himself - now has CCTV cameras and a metal charity box in place as he bids to better the £300 raised last Christmas.

He is also aiming to top the 200 youngsters who visited 12 months ago.

“We want to keep making it even better,” said Gary, 49.

“Everyone’s welcome to come and have a look. All the kids get a free selection box too.

“It’s all about seeing the kids’ faces and the smiles. Every year we get different people coming.

“I’m just Christmassy. My son Josh will be 20 on Christmas day. That was the best Christmas present ever.”

Many younger visitors also show their appreciation by donating their dummies to a dummy tree, which remains as a tribute to those who’ve had fun on their visits.

To make these Christmas dreams come true a number of pals and businesses also help out.

Friends aid Gary - who has a metal cage in his spine and a false hip - set up while support has also come from Andrew & Co timber supplies, B&M Bargains and G&D Engineering, who built the new charity box.

Gary and Stacey’s Acacia Avenue winter wonderland will be open to the public from Thursday, December 19 to Monday December 23 from 5pm-9pm each night, and between 3pm and 6pm on Christmas Eve.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.