Ronald Robinson was beginning to feel like the Christmas Grinch.
After an article in last weekend’s SATURDAY SUN stated that after ten years of mesmerizing Barbadians with the spectacular lights at his No. 41, Warrens Heights, St Michael home, he would not be able to afford the decorations this year because of tough financial times, Robinson said people had been constantly asking him: “How you could do this?”
He said that no matter where he went, people were meeting him and saying he had to find a way to put up the lights, and that it would not be a Bajan Christmas if his house were not decorated.
The owner of Ajax Construction said one incident his heart when a five-year-old girl approached him and said she had been to his house last year and had enjoyed the lights, but was sad because she wouldn’t be able to see them this year.
This, he added, almost made him cry.
But through the efforts of the Best of Barbados Gift Shop, and then Simpson Motors, Robinson’s house has been transformed into its usual Christmas spectacle after the lights were “officially” switched on Friday just after 6 p.m.
Robinson said that since he had received the assistance last Saturday, he and a team of four workers had been working 12- to 14-hour shifts to get the house decorated before Christmas. In reality, he said they had “crammed a six-week job into one week”, as he usually started his preparations on November 1.
“I feel so good that the Best of Barbados Gift Shop and Simpson Motors have come on board to make this a reality. We have really been working around the clock from last week to make sure that we would have the lights ready for Christmas.
“Some mornings, I have been up from as early as [two o’clock], trying to finish the designs and making sure that everything is where it is supposed to be,” he explained.
As soon as Robinson flicked the switch to illuminate his house, traffic on the Ronald Mapp Highway came to a virtual standstill, as several motorists pulled up to get a closer look, with some of them brandishing cameras, obviously hoping to take a picture of the uniquely decorated house home with them.
Robinson said the work was about 95 per cent complete with just some minor fine-tuning to be done.
He praised both organizations for lending assistance, noting that he had received a call from Chris Trew, managing director of Best of Barbados Gift Shops, the same morning in which the article was published saying that he would be very interested in assisting with the cause.
“Mr Trew called me just after 8 a.m. last week Saturday and told me that he had seen the story and that his company was one which supported worthwhile causes, and that this was indeed a cause which he thought was worthwhile. He asked me for a figure, and I told him that I usually spend between $25 000 to $30 000 a year.
“He told me that they would not be able to foot the full bill but he would talk to his directors about it and call me back, and about a hour later he called me back and told me that they had agreed, and to pass for the cheque on Monday.”
Robinson said that subsequent to that, last Thursday chief executive officer at Simpson Motors, Debbie Simpson, acting on orders from Sir Kyffin Simpson, told him that they would match the offer made by the Best of Barbados Gift Shops.
He said that through the efforts of all involved, it had helped to make this year a very memorable Christmas for him and thousands of Barbadians.
Sonia Webster, who along with her husband Dr John Webster were some of the first Barbadians to witness the lighting, told the SUNDAY SUN she was extremely pleased to see the house decorated.
“This should always be kept as part of Christmas celebrations. We all look forward to it every year, especially my grandchildren and lots of kids all over Barbados. It has become a part of Christmas,” she stressed.
Another admirer, who asked to be identified only as “Bryan”, said he had been going to see the lights for the past six years. He added it would not be a Bajan Christmas if the house were not decorated.
“A lot of Barbadians, including myself, look forward to these beautiful lights. It just would not be the same without them.”
A mother, giving her name only as “Donna”, who took her six-year-old daughter Sheena to view the spectacle, said it was the first time for both of them.
“It is absolutely amazing. This is the first time for both me and my daughter, and I can tell you one thing – we will definitely be coming back next year and the year after that,” she proclaimed, with a huge smile.
