Local Christmas display dazzling viewers, fundraising for charity

As the clock turns to 5:30 p.m., the switches get turned on at the Vanleeuwen home in Ilderton, Ont. to reveal a Christmas display of epic proportions.

Inspired by his childhood, Jeff Vanleeuwen has spent a decade perfecting the holiday light show.

“My mother, she made that Christmas pretty special and very magical, and I just lived off of that, and I always wanted to have a house like that. So here we are. It's been over 10 years in the making, but it's taken some time and a little bit of money, but we've gotten there and I'm very happy with how it's turned out,” said Vanleeuwen.

And so are the people that start showing up the moment the lights come on. Some viewers are first timers, while others are driving from out of town for a taste of that magical feeling.

“It’s amazing! I don't know where they get everything. It's just amazing. You’d need 10 times to see everything,” one person said.

Johanis came from London, Ont. to videotape the lights so that he could send it to his grandkids in Indonesia.

“Oh my god. Amazing! I cannot believe it. I really enjoy [it]. I come from London, you know, this is my second time and I want to tell to my granddaughter and grandson. They will be here in Canada, they have to come here and enjoy with grandma and grandpa,” said Johanis.

There is a very strong charity involvement as well.

“Yes, yes, every year Jeff Van Leeuwen has [this] donation box out here and he's one of our biggest contributors,” explained Ian MacDonald from the Ailsa Craig and Area Food Bank.

There are also several ways to donate to ChildCan, a charity dedicated to childhood cancer. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, they brought in nearly $30,000 last year.

“We still raised $27,000 for ChildCan. We're off to a good start this year [and] may not meet the same goal, but we're doing well,” said Vanleeuwen.

The home is located on Songbird Lane in Ilderton, and the lights will be on every day between 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

To donate, you can bring cash, food, or scan the QR code to make a digital donation. 

CTV News has compiled a list of homes in and around the London area that have put up holiday displays. To submit a home email [e-mail]