Tinkling truck. The Borchardt family light display is quite the spectacle.(Nigel Maxwell/panow Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Holiday lights

Christmas tradition shines bright

Dec 16, 2019 | 8:22 AM

A Christmas tradition that started for the Borchardt family roughly 15 years ago, could give the famous Clark Griswold a run for his money.

The property, located roughly 25 km northeast of Prince Albert off highway 55, has become quite the spectacle in its own right and owner Jan Borchardt takes great pride adding more lights each year.

“My dad was in a home and he loved to see Christmas lights so I put them up every year, took him out of the home, and brought him here,” she explained.

A uniformed officer guards the light display. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

When asked exactly how many strings of lights are set up in the yard, Borchardt could not provide an answer.

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“Somebody asked me how many extension cords we have. Last year I counted them and we have 430 of them out in that yard,” she said.

Just when you’ve thought you have seen the final attraction, there’s another surprise waiting around the corner. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

Borchardt laughed when asked about her power bills, explaining power goes up in the winter months anyway. She did admit she was at capacity in her front yard, and so cannot run any lights in her basement at night, or risk blowing the breaker.

A photo taken from the Borchardt driveway.(Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

To no one’s surprise, the Borchardts attract a lot of visitors each year. Borchardt said when strangers stop and ask if they can walk around the yard, through the freshly plowed trail, she has no trouble saying yes. And for the most part, she has never had any trouble.

“Every other year [the lights] have been just enjoyed but this year someone came in the yard late at night and broke a bunch of them,” she said.

Luminous characters and ornaments are scattered among the near endless strings of lights across the Borchardt property.(Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

Despite the brush with the Grinch this year, Borchardt’s Christmas spirit does not appear to be flickering in any way, and said she has no plans on pulling the plug.

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell