Bristol boy decorates house in memory of sister who died on Christmas Day

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A 14-year-old boy from Bristol who covers the outside of his house in decorations in memory of his sister who died on Christmas Day has been recognised for his charity efforts.

Jake Skinner, from Downend, lost his sister Stacie almost six years ago, when she was just 17 years old.

He has put festive lights up in her memory ever since - and has raised a large amount of money for charity in the process.

This year he has been recognised with a national teen award, which he received from Prince William, after raising more than £3,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

The charity has been selected after the support Jake and his family received when his grandmother had spleen cancer before she died earlier this year.

Jake and his light display in 2018.

But the inspiration for the lights was Jake's sister, Stacie, who died after going into anaphylactic shock on Christmas Day in 2015.

She loved the festive season, decorating her desk where she worked at Co-op legal services with Christmas lights. When she died, the lights were kindly returned to the family.

Jake then took it upon himself to continue to pay tribute to his sister's love of Christmas by placing lights outside the family home.

It has grown year on year with a local businessman providing him with large amounts of new lights to draw even larger crowds.

The display took Jake around four weeks to put up this year, with his dad Jeff saying he has spent hours after school getting it ready for visitors.

Hundreds of people come to see the lights outside of their home in Downend every day.

"Jake loves to put Stacie's lights up," Jeff said.

“He feels she is still part of the light show in some ways. It’s a lovely gesture. He has been able to turn a real negative in to a real positive for the family and people are really happy to come out and support him.

"He is an inspiration to us and we are just so grateful for everyone who has contributed to the charity.

"As a family we try to celebrate Christmas as it’s what Stacie would want so using the lights to raise money for Macmillan seemed a perfect way to remember her and her lights are still part of the display for 2021."