North Vancouver home decorated with 100,000 Christmas lights for charity

This might just be one of the most decorated houses in Metro Vancouver, and with approximately 100,000 Christmas lights, you can take in the amazing sights and help a great cause.

Now in their sixth year, Verico Nova Financial Services, a family-run mortgage broker team, has been decorating the home of parents John Ribalkin and Aurore Viau at 4967 Chalet Place in North Vancouver – and each year the collection of lights has been getting bigger and bigger.

Nine of the family members started working on this year’s display back at the beginning of October, unboxing and piecing the different lights together. They starting putting them up around the start of November.

Ribalkin has been working with a budget of $1,000 each year, and a lot of it is spent on Boxing Day. While most Canadians line up for electronics, clothing and other deals, John waits to buy Christmas lights. When asked what the furthest place he’s bought lights from was, John laughed and said, “Florida…using eBay!”

Not only are the lights pretty to look at, they’re also raising funds for a great cause. For the past three years the family has been raising money and food for the local Harvest Project. Last year, they raised just under $6,000 and 63 bags of groceries. This year’s goal is $10,000 and 100 bags of groceries. So if you’re going up to check out the lights, be sure to take some non-perishable food items with you or donate cash.

One of the most prominent features of the display is the massive star hanging by a pulley system 86 feet in the air, which John says is his favourite part. Each line of the star is 20 feet long, and they’ve only been getting heavier as the family has been adding more and more lights to it each year. If you’re in downtown Vancouver, specifically Coal Harbour, look across the water to the North Shore and try to spot the star – the family’s been told you can see it on clear nights!

And in case you’re wondering, the Guinness World Record for the Most Christmas Lights on a Residential Property is just over 500,000 lights.

100,000 Christmas lights display

Address: 4967 Chalet Place, North Vancouver

When: Daily from 5 to 11 p.m. until early January

What to bring: Warm clothes and a donation for the Harvest Project (non-perishable food item or cash donation)

Images: Farhan Mohamed / Vancity Buzz