Many home owners decorate their façade at Christmas but some seem intent on turning their residence into an attraction.

Josef Camilleri’s three-storey house in Nadur. Photo: Mario Muscat

Almost all localities have one or two extravagantly-lit houses that really stand out, including Attard, Naxxar and San Ġwann. And if you happen to be visiting Gozo these days and drive through Nadur at night, you are likely to be blinded by the light as soon as you approach Triq il-Qala.

There, a gazillion lights, together with all sorts of Christmas paraphernalia, adorn the façade of a three-storey house. These include figures of deer, snowmen and Santa Claus; the balustrades are lined with holly and gift boxes and other artefacts lie on a platform in front of the house.

Proud owner Josef Camilleri, 33, has been doing it for over 10 years. “I keep adding new lights and decorations every year,” he said, admitting he lost count of the number of light bulbs.

His aim is to bring joy to passers-by. Children are especially drawn to the mechanical figures of Santa Claus, a deer on a seesaw and a snowman coming out of a gift pack.

“I like to buy new stuff from abroad, especially from the US, just to be a bit original,” he said.

He makes it a point to let it be known that the interior of his home is as bright as the exterior: “I put up Christmas lights in every room, bar the bedrooms.” His passion for everything Christmassy is renowned in Gozo and he is commissioned to decorate other people’s homes.

Mr Camilleri also has a vast collection of Baby Jesus figures. Totalling about 700, these include many antique statues he sometimes exhibits in his hometown and other localities.

He switches off the lights after Epiphany, on January 6.

As to the electricity bill, Mr Camilleri said he installed solar panels.

Photo: Chris Sant Fournier