Roland (second right) with his wife Joyce (third right), their son Chris (left) and his nephew Edmund King-Lin wrapping presents by their Christmas tree.
YOU know it is Christmas time, when the corner lot house of USJ 11/4A is lit in full splendour.
For three-year-old Singaporean Chew Jun Kai, celebrating Christmas for the first time in Malaysia was made significant with a visit to this home.
“Hi, Santa!” he squeals, waving to a clever light projection of the jolly Father Christmas in the window.
“I wished for yellow shoes from Santa,” said Jun Kai, before scurrying back to his grandmother, Ivy Nadarajah.
Like many Subang Jaya folk, Ivy and her family make it a point to drive by the house during every Yuletide season.
“It is such a unique thing to do, but we will not be lighting up our house like this.
“It is a very costly affair,” said the SS17 resident of 30 years.
Turning a blind eye to the cost, the Roland Xavier house illuminated the neighbourhood in USJ 9 for 10 years before the family moved to USJ 11 four years ago.
“We have never discussed the cost with anybody because it is not about the money but what the lights do for people,” Roland chuckled, when asked about the spike in his electricity bill or investment in the lights itself.
Taking about a day and a half to put up the lights every year, Roland said he had specially designed his home to accommodate a large number of lights.
“When we bought this house, we knew we would be lighting up even brighter and bigger.
“The whole house has been rewired totally.
“I have even got electrical outlets and switches in the roof, otherwise it will be quite difficult,” he said, adding that his electrician, Roslan, helped him this year.
“It took us about three days to put up the lights because of the heavy rain,” he said.
When asked how many light features he had on display, Roland shook his head and said he has never actually counted.
“There are too many to count!
“This year, we added three more light features like The Grinch outside the house, the ribbons and the icicle lights on the roof,” he said.
Last year, Roland sent in a video of his light features to the global Light-O-Rama Christmas contest in the US.
Although the house did not win, it made the shortlist and it was the only home from Asia.
Returning for the holidays from his university in New Zealand, The Xaviers’ only son, Chris, 22, said he looked forward to carrying on the tradition.
“Once I get a job, save enough money and buy my own house, I am going to continue what my dad does with these beautiful Christmas lights,” he said.
With the words “Peace on Earth” emblazoned in front of the house, the Xaviers continue to carry on lighting up their home year after year because of the warm gestures they receive in return.
“Total strangers have given us gifts and made cards for us just to say “thank you” for putting up the lights.
“This year, we have received a present and a fruit cake on top of all the cards.
“Unlike what many think, people are really happy to watch others celebrate something and they want to share in the joy of the celebration,” said Roland’s wife, Joyce Xavier.
