AFTER years of lighting up Wynnum West, Bailey, Amber, and Opal of “Giants On The Hill” have made the bittersweet decision to retire their Christmas lights for good.
Since 2019, the Gillis family has drawn between three to five thousand visitors each night with their dazzling display, featuring “Australia’s largest inflatable Santa”.
Living in Wynnum their entire life, the Christmas light display has become more than just a festive tradition – it’s a gift to the community.
“Christmas is a very special time for us, and we wanted to share that with the community,” the family said.
“We never meant for the display to get to the size it was, but each year we had more and more people come past which inspired us to put in extra effort to grow the display.”
The evolution of the display has been a labour of love, with the family reaching out to businesses and other decorators for unique ornaments.
The inspiration for the giant Santa came after a vandal slashed their previous one in December 2022.
“It gave us the idea to go bigger, much bigger,” they said.
After months of research and negotiations, the family secured the massive Santa, marking a new milestone in their display.
On December 22 last year, an estimated 10,000 people came to enjoy the festive display.
But organising such a grand display isn’t without challenges.
This year, the family faced cost of living pressures, threats, and even trespassers attempting to sabotage the setup.
The family has decided to retire the display in 2025 as they prepare for the arrival of their second child, but still plan to embrace festive fun.
