piece of yard lit up with every kind of light bulb imaginable.

It seems almost a tradition with some families to deck out their front and back yards, not only for themselves, but also to bring the Christmas spirit to passersby who stop to capture the feeling.

Children love the popular pieces like Santa's sleigh being pulled by eight tiny reindeers, or Frosty the snowman singing a holiday tune.

One of the most well-lit areas on the Island to visit is Kilderry Estates in Devonshire, where three neighbours go all out.

However, they swear, they do not compete with one another -- but that is still open to debate.

Norman Roberts has been decorating his yard for several years but this year, due to an illness, he told his family that he would not be carrying on with his Christmas tradition.

"I have been sick and I said I wasn't doing it this year,'' Mr. Roberts said.

"My grown children didn't like the idea and they decided to do it for me.'' Mr. Roberts started decorating his yard about 30 years ago and said "it just kept getting bigger and bigger.

"It was so drab and dark around here. No one else was doing it so I started putting up some lights and it grew from year to year.

"This year I have not been well, so my kids came around last weekend and put up some lights. There are lights all over the place. I didn't even supervise.

I guess they really wanted me to have some lights because they never put them up before.'' He added he probably uses about 500 lights on the house, and flag pole.

"It brightens up the neighbourhood and I enjoy when people come by to see them, it shows they appreciate it. When people come and look it makes it feel like Christmas,'' Mr. Roberts said.

He added: "Depending on how I feel I'll do it myself next year.'' Walter Bardgett started lighting up his yard right after he was married 34 years ago. "I took over from my brother Donald who did it before me,'' he said.

Along with the lights he uses on the tree inside, Mr. Bardgett said he uses about 7,000 outdoor bulbs altogether.

"It is a tradition every year; with my family everyone helps out and we get a lot of enjoyment out of it, especially when I hear the kids come in the yard.

"We average about 300 to 400 hundred cars coming through here. '' Mr.

Bardgett said.

He added that the backyard and front is decorated. "This year I brought some extra artificial trees to make a little forest with four reindeers made out of concrete.

"The tree is decorated in red lights and we have little gnome men, and rabbits around it. I keep adding to the theme every year.

"Just after dark -- around 6 p.m. -- we light up until 11 p.m.'' Mr. Bardgett added that he and his family have once again entered the lighting contest sponsored by BELCO and BF & M Insurance.

Last year they won second prize in the residential category.

"We started decorating last weekend and we are just about finished. We only work on it on the weekends, the whole process takes about four days but we have a lot of fun doing it.'' Poking fun at one of his neighbours Mr. Bardgett said: "Johnnie Mello has so many lights that he can't do anything in his house because the fuses will blow. He comes around and sees my lights.'' Just how many more years will he be lighting up his yard? Mr. Bardgett responds: "I'm not getting tired yet and Gorhams just loves me because I order special things. After Christmas I go around buying Christmas lights for next year.'' Neighbour Eldon (Johnnie) Mello has been putting lights up for many years but this year he will not be doing anything "extra'' as he didn't have enough current supply last year.

"This year I have started with Santa and the reindeers but normally whenever I see something I buy it and that is why I have so many things in my yard,'' Mr. Mello said.

He added: "I mainly do it for the children so parents can take them for a drive and show them.'' Mr. Mello said he does not enter the BELCO lights competition because he decorates for himself, "I don't believe in competing and I don't compete with the neighbours.

"I normally make things for the yard. Last year I made a merry-go-round; I try to use a different theme.

"If all goes well next year I may do something extra. I still have a little time left before Christmas to do some more work so we'll see but it depends on the weather.'' Asked about the electricity expense during the holidays Mr. Mello replied: "Buying the light bulbs is where the expense is -- not the electricity.

Because of the weather you're having to buy outside lights every year.'' Mr. Mello will have his lights glowing on Christmas Eve, Christmas day, Boxing day, New Year's Eve and New Year's day.

Although some families light up just for the fun of it, others take great pride in entering the Festival of Lights contest.

BELCO spokesperson Greg Engel told The Royal Gazette decorating homes at Christmas is a tradition which has been around for hundreds of years, but putting up outdoor Christmas lights for all to enjoy is a fairly recent thing.

This tradition was originated in Denver, Colorado, in 1914 by David D.

Sturgen, who at the time was president of the Sturgeon Electric Company,'' Mr.

Engel said.

There is no known record of the first outdoor Christmas lighting display in Bermuda, but it is known a Christmas lighting display was started by Mr.

Reuben Dickinson from Astwood Dickinson in 1954.

"The winners for the first year were Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Masters of Spanish Point, while the commercial prize went to John Barritt and Sons for their display.

A special award was given to the Bermuda Sailboat Club for their display on Whites Island.

For the first two years, Astwood-Dickinson sponsored the contest and were joined in 1956 by BELCO as co-sponsor, he said.

Mr. Engel said last year, BF&M and BELCO joined forces to rejuvenate the contest in Bermuda.

The contest had a bit of a different twist to it, in that the winners in both the residential and commercial (businesses, churches and schools) categories won prizes of donations made to their favourite charities.

In 1996, the residential component of the contest awarded a National first, second, and third place prize.

However this year Mr. Engel said, there will be no national winner in any category.

There will be a commercial winner and a first, second, and third place residential prize for the west, central, eastern parishes of the Island.

In addition, the amount of money donated to charity has doubled from the amount given last year.

Winners of the contest will be published in Monday's Royal Gazette .