MEREDITH Willson penned the festive classic ‘It’s beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas’ in 1951 and, in a small corner of Radnorshire, residents know Christmas has well and truly arrived when Barry Beehan’s lights go on.

The 70-year-old’s staggering array of Christmas bulbs and ornaments have been lighting up Llanelwedd for over two decades and are sure to bring even more joy to neighbours and locals in nearby Builth Wells this year after what’s been a tumultuous 2020. Barry and wife Marie’s display, at No16 on The Crescent estate, in the shadow of the Royal Welsh Showground, wouldn’t look out of place at a high street department store or New York’s Times Square this time of year, and Barry admits he’s switched on the lights a week earlier in 2020 to brighten up the doom and gloom caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

“They went on last night (December 7) for the first time,” said Barry, who works at the local quarry overlooking Llanelwedd.

“I usually switch them on around the 15th but this year it’s been so depressing with the pandemic I think it’s more important than ever to spread some festive joy, it’s needed more than ever.”

Barry and Marie’s home is ideally situated to show off their spectacular display, with The Crescent located right on the side of the A483 so motorists travelling along the busy Builth to Llandrindod Wells road simply can’t miss it.

Barry has between 150-200 different sets of lights, as well as two Santa’s grottos, adorning the house and back and front yards, and says he spends about £300-400 every year on adding to his collection – that’s possibly over £8,000 he has spent on decorating his house, in what is believed to be the 21st year he’s gone to such an effort, starting when his first grandchildren were born.

While Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford has been labelled the Grinch this year for continued restrictions placed on Wales and its struggling businesses, Barry is the anti-Grinch, spreading joy to locals and tourists alike – often getting comments on his lights at local shows or through Facebook, while his display is always a massive hit with local children.

Setting up the lights each year has become such a monumental task that Barry takes a two-week holiday from work in order to get it all done.

“The lights take about two to three weeks to set up,” he said.

“There’s painting and other work I like to do, as well as actually setting up the lights, and I always try and arrange them with a different theme, so I take a two-week holiday at the start of December every year to organise it all.”

And he does almost all the work himself. “It’s mainly me doing it all, but the wife and my daughters do help so it’s kind of a family job,” he added.

“I’ll go out then in the new year to find new lights for next year, because they tend to be cheaper. I don’t know how much I’ve spent over the years or how many I’ve got but it’s bound to be close to 200. I’m prepared to spend a bit on them.

“There’s always lots of comments from people far and wide, from across Wales and England, and they’re known as ‘Barry’s lights’.”

Barry and Marie always have lots of visitors coming and admiring the lights during the evening – the lights are switched on at 5pm and off at around 10pm. He’s happy for visitors to continue coming over and looking at the lights, both in front of the house and in the back yard, but is advising people to adhere to social distancing rules this year.

What do you think, is Barry and Marie’s house the best festively dressed home in Mid Wales this year? Get in touch with your own pictures or if you think someone else’s house is decorated better, or with more lights. Email news@countytimes.co.uk.