WHAT does Christmas spirit mean to you?

For Tom Allsop it meant a chance to share the joy of his annual front yard Christmas decorations with family, friends and passer-bys.

For at least a decade it was a regular event for the family man with four children and 10 grandchildren, until a couple of years ago when vandalism, along with rising electricity costs finally forced him to call it quits.

"Much to the dismay of people who enjoyed the experience, we stopped doing our house two years ago," Mr Allsop said.

He said he knew the Christmas magic had been at work when young people put letters addressed to Santa in the letterbox and they received Christmas cards from unknown people expressing their thanks.

But it was the promise of this year's big family get-together that decided Tom to move on with the Christmas Cheer.

"All of the 10 grandchildren will be here," he said.

Last Sunday morning at 5 o'clock Tom and his wife put the past behind them and turned into busy elves celebrating the season of giving with the installation of fairy lights on the roof and through the trees.

Santa sat peacefully in his sleigh just waiting for the light show when a projector flashed up Christmas greetings in the green garden.

Exhausted, the couple finished the huge job about 5pm, complete with plans to do a lighting test run on Monday.

But vandals made sure that never happened.

That night fence lighting was ripped up along with various decorations and thrown into the neighbour's garden.

"We were horrified," Tom said.

"It was just senseless destruction."

Tom's not sure what Christmas means to the vandals whose brainless actions shocked the family.

But he does know he's not willing to let down the grandkids and he's up for doing it all over again.

Now, that's the Christmas spirit.