Louise Edwards is into her 40th year putting up a massive Christmas light display at Sixth and Pine (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Christmas lights up earlier this year in Kamloops as people try to lift spirits amid COVID-19

Nov 30, 2020 | 4:33 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s the end of November, but the Christmas spirit has been in full swing all month.

Louise Edwards’ light-filled yard at Sixth and Pine is a must-see every year. Her lights have been up since the beginning of November, much earlier than normal, and she’s stepped up her game. There are 5,000 more lights at her home for the Christmas season.

“More lights on the big tree. There’s a canopy. I think it’s prettier this year somehow,” noted Edwards. “My neighbours Bernie and her sister Maryanne, they did a huge amount of it. They did a fabulous job.”

Since the pandemic, Louise has had a set of white lights beaming in her front yard — all dedicated to COVID-19. By putting up her Christmas lights up early this year, she’s trying to lift spirits during a difficult time.

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“I’ve usually kept the lights on most of the nights, but I’m keeping them on dawn to dust for the emergency response people and for people that are just having a crappy time,” she said. “If they take a drive, the lights are there. There’s something bright and cheery. With COVID, I needed an uppy thing, too. I needed something more.”

Many in Kamloops, like Edwards, have got into the Christmas spirit earlier this year, trying to brighten up their lives and others. It shows at many stores that are seeing lights fly off the shelves.

At Home Hardware, most lights are gone when they’re typically in stock until after Christmas.

“We can’t get product from the distribution centres,” said store manager Brian Hamilton. “Most everything we have in our [distribution centres] has now been sold out. We’re trying to get anything we can from any other vendors that are available, but for the most part what we have purchased for the year has arrived and has pretty much been sold. It’s definitely a hot commodity this year with everything going on.”

With the low inventory, the store has had to fill shelf space with other Christmas items. The rapid sale of lights is earlier than ever before.

“With everyone kind of hunkering down, staying closer to home, we saw that rush early on in November,” said Hamilton. “Even myself, I set up right after Remembrance Day, so it’s just people trying to fill their time with things they wouldn’t normally do. People are going bigger than they’ve even gone before. People are going better than they’ve ever gone before. There are definitely more lights on every street out there.”

But no one can hold a candle to Edward’s yard. It’s her 40th year putting up the massive light display, but this year, with COVID-19, is special. She’s purposely tried to make it that way.

“All my neighbours from up the hill, they’ve been down now for two weeks with the kids. They need that cheeriness, the hope, the tradition, and then keeping the tradition,” said Edwards.