A heartbroken couple are switching on their Christmas lights for the final time, bringing the curtain down on a touching 20-year tradition created in memory of their beloved son who died aged just four.
Jason and Lisa Hoban began decorating their family home after the devastating loss of their little boy Tommy, who adored Christmas.
The tot passed away in 1997 from the rare and life-limiting condition multiple sulfatase deficiency.
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Three years later, determined to keep his memory alive, the couple transformed their house with £30,000 worth of festive lights and decorations.
The dazzling display costs Jason, 59, and Lisa, 55, an extra £10 a night in electricity during the festive season.
“Tommy was a happy little boy who always had the most beautiful smile and infectious laugh,” Jason, from Feltham, west London, told Need To Know.
“He loved lights, and when he was alive, we used to decorate the ceilings with decorations which he absolutely loved.
“The first Christmas without Tommy tore our hearts apart, and every Christmas year after year, we miss him so much.
“He loved Christmas music and Christmas lights.
“We wanted to keep his memory alive.
“Me and Lisa know Tommy would have loved the displays and hope that he’s watching from heaven above.”
Jason, a dad-of-four, builds much of the display by hand, including a sleigh and a castle, with months of work going into it every year.
But tragedy struck again in 2024 when Jason was involved in a serious car accident that left him with a shattered pelvis.
He has been left permanently paralysed on the inside of his leg, and the family have confirmed that Christmas 2025 will be the final year of the famous display.
Jason said: “We have mixed emotions about the display ending, but since my accident, physically my body can no longer cope with the extent of the work that’s involved in building the display.
“For the past 25 years, we have been lighting up our house in memory of our precious son, Tommy.
“It will be sad to end it.
“We get thousands of visitors, and people are overwhelmed with excitement when they see the display.
“They are just mesmerised, and it makes me so full of joy, so we’ll miss it.
“Me and my wife, Lisa Hoban, are so committed to doing this in honour of my son, so we got it ready for one last year.”
Over the years, the family have raised £30,000 for Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, which supports children with life-limiting illnesses and their families.
Jason added: “I hope people help us in our final year to show appreciation to the amazing work they do at Shooting Star.
“The charity wasn’t around when Tommy was alive, but we wish it was.
“We cared for Tommy at home.
“Just imagine if you had a terminally ill child and this was your lifeline.
“So please help show Shooting Star the appreciation they deserve.”
The house is lit up every day from 4:30pm until 8:30pm.
Entry is free, and visitors are encouraged to donate whatever they can.
To donate, go to: www.gofundme.com.
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