FOR some people, Christmas lights are nothing more than a way to decorate their home in the festive spirit.
For others, though, lights can hold a more poignant meaning.
That is certainly the case for Stephen Meara-Blount and his family.
Mr Meara-Blount, 55, lost his brother, Tony Blount, almost nine years ago after he was killed by a drink driver.
This year his father, Harry, also passed away.
Mr Meara-Blount, who lives with his mother, Lilian, in Sancton Close, west Hull, said the lights gave the family some happiness in dark times.
"The past nine years have been a little more than difficult," he said.
"We have made an extra special effort with our decorations to bring a bit of happiness back.
"We lost my dad this year as well and we were not going to put the lights up, but my mother decided we should do it.
"Our family has had a really difficult few years and this is a way of trying to get back to something like normality."
Mr Meara-Blount has entered this year's Christmas lights competition, run by the Mail and glazing and conservatory specialists EYG.
The competition, which closes tomorrow, is looking for the region's most festively decorated home.
The top prize will be £100 in gift vouchers, along with a Christmas hamper.
The second best-decorated house will receive £75 in gift vouchers, while the person in third place will receive £50 of vouchers.
Mr Meara-Blount said putting up the festive decorations was something the whole family took part in.
"We have done this just about every year," he said. "It is a big family thing.
"About four members of my family come round to help do it, and we always make sure they are on by the first of December.
"They are all around the garden and in the window.
"We have got a fence all the way round the garden with lights on, along with a lit-up reindeer and polar bear.
He said that the house was popular with passers-by.
"We are set back a bit from the main street, but when people see it they come down to have a look and take pictures," he said.
"We used to have just a few lights in the window and then it just grew and grew.
"There is still plenty of room for more growth next year.
"It just brings light and a bit of cheer."
Bringing the festive spirit into a garden is something Ray Walker can relate to.
Mr Walker, of Wandells View, Brantingham, has 22 Christmas trees in his front garden, with the biggest tree displaying as many as 10,000 lights on it.
The lights are operated using a computer programme devised by his son, Paul.
"All the design of the lights my son made himself," said Mr Walker.
"It is something that is quite different and really needs to be seen to be fully appreciated."
Mr Walker said his son, who is training to be an electrician, first started to design the lights display eight years ago.
"It takes him a few days to set up," Mr Walker said. "He cuts all the lights down to size and sets different parts of them to different colours.
"It is unbelievable. We make sure to put them on first thing in the morning, so people going to work can see them, and in the evening.
"Our five grandchildren love them as well. They love coming down to see all the lights."
Along with his trees, Mr Walker, 66, also has a flashing Rudolph, sleigh and train in the garden.
But he says the electricity costs for all his flashing displays do not set him back much.
"It does not use as much electricity because they are all LED lights," he said.
"Last year, we put up an electricity meter and it calculated that it only cost 3p an hour to run all the lights.
"It doesn't cost as much as people think."
