A Work of Love
Betty Ellis’s spectacular Christmas displays continue to amaze kids of all generations.
Susan Stanton

It’s hard to say for certain just who has loved Betty Ellis’s spectacular Christmas displays the most.

Is it the hordes of tourists who have made the annual trek by bus and car to take in Betty’s stunning show of Christmas lights – a lightshow so brilliant, in fact, it illuminates the night sky, helping visitors to find their way?

Is it the parents and kids who have been absolutely awestruck at the sight of Betty’s fantastic indoor display of Christmas scenes, ornaments and figures collected over a lifetime – a collection so large it fills every square inch of Betty’s home?

Or could it be the local Chamber of Commerce that credits Betty’s lights with helping to boost tourism in the Trent Hills area?

Maybe it’s Betty herself, a woman who has devoted the better part of 15 years to collecting, mounting and dismounting her indoor and outdoor displays. After all, here is a woman who loves to meet and chat up the thousands of visitors she welcomes each year – not just locals, but folks from as far away as Australia, Japan and Holland.

There’s one thing, though, about which there’s no doubt at all. Everyone who has experienced the glory of Betty’s house at Christmas time remembers it forever.

And how could it be otherwise? From start to finish, this is a work of love and creativity that staggers the imagination.

Consider this: The job of putting up her illuminated outdoor decorations and lights begins in August. Why? Because there are so many ornaments and figures and so many lights – more than 40,000 by last count, 10,000 alone on the fence that surrounds her property.

It’s so big that even the job of taking it all down after Christmas lasts until April or May. “When I take everything down,” she says, “I make sure everything is working and ready to go for the next year.” But that’s only part of the story. Inside, Betty’s house is also filled with Christmas splendour.

Fifteen years ago, Betty, who was born and raised in the area, decided to string a single set of lights on the fence around her one-acre home, located on the 13th line near Campbellford. She then crafted wreaths for each fencepost, put red bows on them and illuminated them. “It just seemed to explode from there on,” she sighs.
Betty began to add new decorations every year, things she would build, buy or be given by friends: Santas, reindeers, sleighs, churches, fallen star, candles, candy canes, elves, angels, nativity scenes and more. And she set to work lighting them all. “I got one pattern for a plywood Santa in the States,” she says. “It has 500 lights that go on and off.”

The lights began to attract area motorists, who would take a turn or two around her circular driveway just to have a look. As Betty’s light collection grew, so did the number of visitors. Finally, the Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce, with Betty’s permission, began to publicize Betty’s lights as part of their annual “Spectacle of Lights.” That’s when folks began arriving in tour buses. “This is the 12th year the buses have been coming through,” says Betty.

Besides the buses, of course, are the carloads of excited kids, who often make their parents go round and round the driveway as they spot different things. “Oh, look Mom, there’s Santa and the elves climbing up a ladder.”

When that’s done, it’s into Betty’s house itself for another tour.

Over the years, Betty has welcomed literally thousands of strangers into her house. “It’s tiring,” she admits. “But it’s lovely. I love meeting people. Most are so good, so kind, so appreciative.”

And there is a lot to appreciate at Betty’s. Inside her home, every room, including the bathroom, is packed from top to bottom with illuminated Christmas trees, winter scenes, figures and ornaments. Many of the figures move or sing, to the delight of the kids that enter. Like the Christmas tree that opens to reveal snowmen twirling around to the sound of a Christmas song. Or the Santa, sitting in a bathtub, that begins to scrub himself and sing as you walk by. So many of the ornaments are animated, in fact, it takes two helpers in each room to keep them all going.

While some things are off limits to kids because they are old or breakable, a low coffee table in the living room is filled with “touchables” – Christmas figures that light up, dance and sing. Kids love to turn them on all at once, creating a cacophony of light and sound.

After their tour, visitors can munch on Christmas snacks made by Betty, drink hot chocolate, trade stories and sign the guest book. The guest book gives Betty a good idea of how many people have been through the house and where they hail from. Last year, “I had around 2,000 come through the house,” says Betty. On one night alone, she had 500 visitors.

There’s even more fun on Christmas Eve, when the house closes and the action moves to Betty’s workshop. It too is fully decorated with Christmas paraphernalia. There’s a bonfire with marshmallows, elves handing out treats and of course, an opportunity for a picture with Santa, who arrives sometime around 7 o’clock and leaves promptly at 10, to begin his world-wide rounds.

But even old Santa has a hard time spreading more Christmas joy around than Betty Ellis. She’s as good an elf as ever there was.