The season for giving: Shylah Joyce, 13, Tony Joyce, Bec Joyce and Ryder Joyce, 11, are ready to share the joy of Christmas.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
One Shepparton family has taken Christmas light-looking to the next level by incorporating the classic tradition of giving back.
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Every year, Tony and Bec Joyce, along with their kids Shylah and Ryder, deck the front of their house with Christmas lights and decorations galore.
However, this year, they have added a few extra embellishments for a good cause.
The family are raising money for The Kids Cancer Project, an independent national charity that supports childhood cancer research.
This follows on from their fundraising efforts the previous year, where they sold icy poles in front of their home to support families affected by floods.
To turn it up a notch, the family are selling icy poles, lollies and Boost Juice in front of their home this year.
Adding to the joy, Mr and Ms Joyce, who have played Santa and Mrs Claus in previous years, will make a special appearance as the jolly couple.
“My son dresses as an elf and hands out lollies to the kids going by,” Mr Joyce said.
“Last year, my daughter and her friend sang Christmas songs out the front, which will be happening again this year.”
Mr Joyce said they started decorating their house five years ago and handing out lollies to kids each Christmas Eve for the past four years, and from there, it’s taken off.
“We used to go around and look at Christmas lights every Christmas Eve; it used to be our tradition, and there was always one house that would be a standout,” he said.
“One year, we went around, and there wasn’t a Santa dressed out the front, so I decided from that point on, I was going to be the Santa out the front of the house to put a smile on kids’ faces.
“We handed out lollies to the children, and the first year, we handed out 260 lollies.
“The following year word of mouth got out, and we handed out 1100 lollies, then last year we handed out 1600.”
Merry and bright: The Joyce family’s front garden, covered with Christmas decorations, showcases the family’s true Christmas spirit.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Residing at 2 Wanderers Ln, Kialla, the family attributed their success to the efforts of their neighbourhood.
“In our court alone, there are eight houses out of 12 that are decorated and then from the front of my house, another six houses along Settlers Dr, and the whole neighbourhood gets into the spirit,” he said.
“We do it because we love to see the smiles on all the kid’s faces and the excitement when they come around, but also the social aspect of it – it brings the entire neighbourhood together.”
Thanks to the generosity of several local businesses, the Joyce family have been able to donate all funds from sales straight to The Kids Cancer Project.
Lollies were donated from GC Nuts and Confectionery, and I Love This Shop and Silly Solly’s donated icy poles to the cause.
On top of this, they’ll also have a Boost Juice van outside their house, donating all their profits from the night to The Kids Cancer Project.
A donation tin for cash and a QR code for online donations are also available for those wanting to donate.
The family have already been out the front this month selling icy poles, and Mr Joyce thinks they’ve already got roughly over $350 so far, but they’re hoping to reach their goal of $2000.
Santa and the family will be out the front for the public from 8pm onwards on Saturday, December 16, until late and for the same time on Sunday, December 24.
Boost Juice will be there from 6.30pm to 10.30pm both nights.
For kids with special needs or sensory issues, Mr Joyce said he’s more than happy for families to knock on their door and organise a time for them to come and experience the event without the crowds.
Mr Joyce also offers his services as Santa Claus around primary schools and daycares in Shepparton.
Organisations can offer a donation for him to visit as Santa, with all proceeds from the gig going towards The Kids Cancer Project.
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