Garden City couple spreading holiday cheer as Santa and Mrs. Claus

A married couple in Winnipeg is spreading Christmas cheer to people in the Garden City neighbourhood. Joseph Bernacki has their story.

People in Winnipeg’s Garden City area haven’t had to go far to meet Jolly Old St. Nicholas.

A husband and wife are spreading cheer in their community by dressing up as Santa and Mrs. Claus three nights a week and taking photos with neighbours and new friends.

“Just to lighten up somebody’s life, to see that sparkle in their eye, that makes it all worth it,” said Brad Wallace.

“You can’t pay me for this.”

Wallace and his wife Roxanne have been dressing up as Santa and Mrs. Claus for years.

What started as a small Christmas display in their front yard a decade ago has now turned into a winter wonderland.

Wallace said the display all starts with Santa’s sleigh and then thousands of lights are put up.

Over the years, they have inspired the whole street, putting their neighbours on notice.

“It’s a competition now. We’re like the Griswold street but it’s fun,” Wallace said, referring to the movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”

This year, the couple decided to up their game with even more lights.

Wallace was inspired by a gentleman in Texas to create 8.5-foot arches of light for the sidewalk in front of their house.

However, not everyone enjoyed these lights. The couple soon got a 311 complaint and then a second complaint asking to take them down.

Wallace said he reached out to city councillor Devi Sharma who told the couple to keep the lights up.

City inspectors told the couple they could keep the lights up if they were extended vertically to 10.5 feet.

“They miraculously came up with the permit that allowed me to do it,” Wallace said.

He said the arches of light have exploded in popularity, prompting more people to take photos with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

While Wallace said they can’t make everyone happy, he and his wife love spreading holiday cheer ahead of Christmas. They even have plans for something new to see next year.

“I strive for 99 per cent and it’s so much fun just to do it,” Wallace said.

“The reaction from people, it’s contagious, the joy is contagious.”