Then everyone got to see the family's magical display, including a jaw-dropping cascading waterfall of lights that features 22,000 lights alone.

Lucky youngest son Connor is an electrician.

Crowds of people have this year made their way to their family home on the corner of Jim Pike Avenue and Callaway Crescent in Gordon.

"It's been quite humbling," Mr Ingram said.

He has been putting up the lights for 28 years. "We start at the beginning of November and it takes us the whole month," he said.

The December 8 storm had Mr Ingram risking life and limb to protect the display.

"I was holding on to the Christmas tree out the front, which is a bit of a lightning rod, when I come to think about it," he said.

The inflatable Santa came out a little worse for wear but had some "emergency surgery" and is back to his big bouncy self.

The power of social media in drawing attention to the lights has had a positive impact.

"It's usually a case of us turning on the lights and going back inside and staying there but after the Facebook post and everyone coming down we thought, 'Let's get some lollies out for the kids' and we went outside with everyone and we had a ball," Mr Ingram said.

It also prompted him to approach a charity which might benefit from the lights' popularity.

There is now a QR code outside the display in Gordon through which people can make a donation to Run DIPG, a charity dedicated to eradicating the most lethal childhood disease, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). Mr Ingram said his niece had a friend, a 12-year-old girl, who died of the brain cancer this year within eight months of being diagnosed.

"There's no obligation to donate, we know it's a tough time of year and it's hard with the cost-of-living crisis, but it's there if people can give a few dollars," he said.

"If not, that's OK. The lights are there for everyone."

Mr Ingram said the lights would be on every night until January 1.

"I love Christmas. I did as a kid and I do as a father and I do as a new grandfather," he said.

"I think the strongest memories kids take into adulthood are of meeting Santa and going with their mum and dad to see the Christmas lights.

"They might remember some of what they got under the tree, but I think the time they spend with their families is what stays with them the longest."

Gowrie is also the place to see some beautiful Christmas displays, which are also raising money for charity.

They are in Stacey Street and Ruthven Street, both raising money for Christmas Lights for MS and in Middleton Circuit, raising money for cancer charities, including a market stall selling handmade crafts, rocky road and raffle tickets.