Family puts Christmas decorations up in September to cheer up neighbours

A family have put up their Christmas decorations three months early to help cheer up their neighbours during the coronavirus pandemic.Sarah Williams's home in Trebanog, Rhondda Valley, Wales, has been adorned with lights and a large inflatable penguin and snowman since the middle of September.Her partner's daughter spent several months this year in hospital and the couple wanted to do "something cheerful" as they wish for "everything to get back to normal."

They said if it wasn't for the poor weather they would have even more decorations up already.Sarah said: “The decorations have been up for three or four weeks already.“We don’t normally put them up that early, but there has been so much going on this year with the pandemic.

“We can’t have Halloween or bonfire night, and my step-daughter has had a tough time of it this year also being in hospital for a few months so we just thought we’d do something cheerful.“Our neighbours love it and we’ve had cars stopping in the street so people can take a look."My Christmas wish would be for everything to get back to normal. I just hope what we've done puts a smile on people's faces."

Partner Craig added: "We've still got more decorations to put up, it's just the weather stopping us. We love Christmas in general and we just want to make it last as long as we can."

Leanne Wood, Plaid Cymru MS for Rhondda, said: “I saw this house while out having a walk in the Rhondda last week and wondered if it was the first trimmed up house in Wales.“We all need a bit of cheer in our lives during these challenging times. Lots of people want to make their streets and communities brighter through the dark winter months, and no one can be faulted for that instinct.”