The Balls did it again! They outshone, outclassed and probably outdid themselves with their spectacular 2007 Christmas Lights Show.

For the third straight year, the Balls took overall first place honours in the island-wide competition promoted by Belco. Their East Shore home in Sandys, overlooking the Great Sound, was a virtual fairyland of thousands of lights, music, motion, depicting variations of their traditional Nativity and Santa Claus themes, with some intriguing new pieces added, utilising the latest fibre optic, more brilliant and costly LED , weather-resistant indoor-outdoor lights for the first time.

They were used principally to light the three Christmas trees on the roof of the Balls' residence.

The show was the creation of Wayne Ball, his sisters Donna and Debbie Ball, working with the inspiration of their mother, Mrs. Gloria Ball, who is celebrating her 84th birthday this season.

As much as the show drew hundreds from as far away as St. George's, Debbie Ball is adamant that this is the last year they will be entering the competition. She said it is costly and involves a lot of hard work,. She thinks there should be more incentive from Belco.

Wayne said since it became known that "this is their last hurrah", competition-wise, many have offered donations exceeding what Belco rewards top prize-winners.

One neighbour has put up $500 if they compete next year.

"We are not in this for the money," Wayne said, noting that island-wide there's a decrease in the number of householders competing because of the added expense of their electricity bills.

He added: "Belco needs to step up to the plate if they want the competition to continue They ought to be able to work out a formula, in the spirit of Christmas, to defray the total differential in the bills of top prize winners, with half for second-place and a third off for third-place winners."

Our pictures below show only small sectors of the tremendous display at and around the Somerset East Shore residence of Mrs. Gloria Ball, 84. She's on the far right with family members including daughters Debbie and Donna and son Wayne. Until recently he operated his own small appliance repair business. Donna is in charge of the cafeteria at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, while sister Debbie is a manager at Hunt's Food & Supplies in Warwick.