FAMILIES across the district have been defying the gloomy weather - and economy – with one of the best ever years for extravagant household Christmas displays.

While most people keep the lights and tinsel for the living room, dozens of residents have been enthusiastically keeping up the annual tradition of covering front gardens, walls and roofs with festive cheer.

The Guardian hit the streets to find out more about the people who have spent hundreds of pounds and hours installing them.

The Hennessey family, of Loughton, have attracted some neighbourhood fame with the huge inflatables moored outside their home in Chandler Road.

Mum-of-one Jo Hennessey, a 48-year-old nurse, said: “Some people laugh at it and say it's really chavy, but lots of people come up to us and say 'good for you'.

“We're not religious people, but Christmas means a lot to us and we see it as a way of celebrating the winter solace too”.

Kirstie and Gavin Harper, of Hoe Lane in Abridge, have been covering their house with festive sparkle for the last seven years, much to the joy of their four children.

Mrs Harper, 29, a catering assistant at Lambourne Primary School, said: “Before we moved to the village I used to drive through just to look at all the lights, so when we came here we decided we had to do it too.

“The children love helping put up the lights, and every year we try and make it bigger and better than the last.”

The Clarke family, of Bushfields in Loughton, have so many Christmas lights they had to buy an extra garden shed to store them all in.

Ray Clarke, a 61-year-old pharmaceutical warehouse worker, said: “I know a lot of people who think it looks gaudy but we get a big buzz out of it. Cars slow down in the street to have a look, and we have a school nearby and it's great to see the kids' faces light up when they see it.

“We've been doing it now for about 27 years – I wouldn't like to think how much it costs, but it's only something we do once a year, and it is Christmas after all.”