Saskatoon homeowner times extravagant light display to classic holiday tunes

Saskatoon’s night sky is all lit up this holiday season thanks to one homeowner in the city’s Nutana Park Neighbourhood.

This is the second year Scott Lambie has created his extravagant Clinkskill Drive Christmas light display.

"I like doing it. It's fun. It's a hobby. It keeps me out of trouble. It keeps me sane,” he says.

The light display is open to everyone driving on Clinkskill Drive until Jan. 1. All people need to do is drive up, tune their radio into 89.7 fm and enjoy the lights that dance right along with Christmas songs.

Lambie programs each set of lights to jive with 10 songs he transmits. Each song takes about 8 hours to program.

"I make them go to the music by the program I use. It comes from the people that manufacture the control boxes,” Lambie says. “Let’s say you want to turn Santa Clause on, on the roof, you just highlight that on the software and turn him on."

Lambie begins planning the display in January, and in September he starts putting the lights up.

He’s spent thousands of dollars and countless hours on the displays, but he says it’s worth it. 35,000 lights only add about $40 a month to Lambie’s power bill and his family loves Christmas decorations, he says.

"We knew it was going to be a challenge, but we've always done Christmas decorations ever since the kids were small, and it was their idea so we just jumped in and did it."

He says people are very welcoming to the festive lights.

"People put thank you cards in our mailbox. People put chocolates in our mailbox. People have actually knocked on the door and told us what a great job,” he says. “Last year a lady backed into my wife’s car and came in and said, 'Great display. However, I backed into your car!' So yeah, the response is good. No one has ever complained."

He’s encouraging all Saskatoon residents to stop by and see the lights.

"I've lived here for 40 years. Saskatoon is my home, so I guess it's a Christmas gift to Saskatoon, right? 2706 Clinkskill Drive. Come out and see them!"

The Clinkskill Christmas display will be shining brightly every night until Jan. 1 from 6 p.m. until 10 pm.