Liverpool house covered in over 70,000 Christmas lights for Alder Hey is back with even more for 2024!

A Liverpool family who decorate their house with a dazzling 70,000 Christmas lights to raise money for Alder Hey have done it again for 2024 but with even more!

Helen and Marty Walsh and their 11-year-old son Charlie have been creating the Liverpool Christmas Light Show for Alder Hey at their home in Halewood since 2021.

Each year it’s grown and they have raised well over £5,000, with last year’s funds going towards the hospital’s new cinema for young patients.

Now with extra lights added for this Christmas, including a matrix panel which can show videos to accompany the festive music soundtrack, they’re preparing for switch-on this Sunday, December 1 from 6pm.

Crowds come from across the city to watch four nightly synchronised shows which light up Palmerston Road until New Year’s Eve.

And Helen says families look forward to spotting new additions and seeing their favourites return.

“We have added a lot so as well as our regular features they’ll be able to see our two resident Christmas trees Bruce the Spruce and Penny Pine who have now had twins, Clementine Pine and Zeuce the Spruce, so they’re a family of four! 

“We have more icicles hanging down from the front of the house and new candy canes called insane canes. They’re about 4ft tall and the patterns on them are amazing. 

“There’s also a big new matrix panel, similar to the ones you see used for advertising, which will display videos and images like holly leaves or sleigh bells, and for classic songs like Fairytale of New York we’ll be able to show the video.”

Helen and Marty are always looking for fresh ideas for their show, sourcing from a British company with links to the US where house decorating is a massive trend.

Once they’re satisfied with what they’ve got, they start creating an initial floorplan around August, making sure each one is placed perfectly.

This year, thanks to their friendly next-door neighbours, they’ve been able to expand the space too.

“They kindly said we could move into their front garden so we’ve had a rearrange of the layout and the megatree has moved from in front of our living room window to the side of their house,” says Helen.

“For the past few months we’ve been tweaking the sequences and making sure everything’s OK. We don’t finalised everything until we put all the lights out because we put something in place, cross over the road, walk in front of the house and check it works and if it doesn’t we’ll move it or take it away.

“The lights all go up the weekend before Halloween, and this year we did a dry run on Halloween night with a few sequences including the Addams Family which everyone loved.”

Liverpool Christmas Light Show’s fundraising total stands at a fantastic £5148.78 and Helen says they’re thrilled to be able to support Alder Hey.

“When we did our first one in 2021, we hoped to raise £1,000 but it just keeps on getting bigger.

“The money raised last year went towards the new cinema so this time we’ll wait until we have our total at the beginning of January, see what projects are on or donate generally to visits by TV show characters, much-needed medical equipment or something to improve children’s stay in hospital.”

The light and sound shows are on every night, including Christmas night itself, at 7pm, 7.30pm, 8pm and 8.30pm and they last about 20-25 minutes.

People can donate by throwing cash in Alder Hey buckets while they watch, or by card.

“We’ve upgraded our donation stand this year,” says Helen, “so rather than having a set amount to donate by card, there’s a tablet where you can pick your own amount, from £3-£50, and then either tap or use chip and pin. 

“It’s more of a pay what or if you can because we understand money can be tight and we don’t want anyone to be put off coming to see the lights. Everyone is welcome to attend any of our shows because Liverpool Christmas Light Show is for everyone.”

You can find out more on the website HERE.

Read your Ultimate Guide to Christmas in Liverpool HERE.