Christmas comes but once a year.

And, as these jolly householders show, it's a good excuse to brighten up the neighbourhood. These families have fully embraced the festive season, with their inflatable snowmen, illuminated reindeer, and lots and lots of lights!

Liezel Ermitanio, 38, decided she wanted to bring a little bit of the Philippines with her when she moved to the UK.

Mrs Ermitanio, from Hedley Way, Headington, Oxford, who has a 20-month-old daughter Reina Denise, said: "In the Philippines, when it's Christmas, we like to put lights out. We put them on everything, on the trees on our houses - everywhere.

"Here in the UK you don't seem to do it so much, so I thought it would be nice. It makes it feel more like Christmas."

Jane Bishop, 62, from Old Marston Road, Marston, Oxford, said decorating her house was her contribution to brightening up the community.

She said: "We do it every year for the grandchildren and for all the kids going up and down the road to school and the shop.

"The older people that go to the shop always ask us when we are going to put our lights up. We like to do it for the local community, as everyone seems to enjoy them so much."

Her husband, Gordon, 65, said: "I always get some help from my grandchildren. We managed to get the lights up in a single morning this time."

Jenny Trafford, 59, from Ouseley Close, Marston, Oxford, said: "I have five children and seven grandchildren and through the years we've added to our collection of Christmas lights.

"Every year we buy a bit more. Over the years we've built up quite a collection.

"We get a lot of comments from people along the road, who say they feel a bit more Christmasy when they see them go up - which is always nice to hear."

Ms Trafford's granddaughter, Dawn, 11, said: "I like it when my nan puts the lights up - they are really pretty, especially the snowmen that light up and sing."

Sheree Colley, 18, from Croft Road, Marston, said her mother adored everything to do with the festive season.

She said: "My mum just loves Christmas. She likes to get all the lights up and the decorations. She loves anything to do with Christmas. Snowmen, Santa, reindeer. Basically anything. We haven't got the full works this year. We usually have inflatable snowmen at the front of the house, though she hasn't done it this year.

"All the little kids round here come and look at the lights."

Kathleen Bye said her granddaughter Cyra, two, and the other children living in the area were the reason she decked her home out.

Ms Bye, from Croft Road, Marston, Oxford, said: "I do it for the kids in the area and, of course, my own grandchildren.

"The children love to come along and look at them and it's always nice to see them appreciating the lights.

"They only take about an hour to put up, as most of the stuff is in situ. It's never long before they are all up and running. I think it's well worth it as it makes people happy." Wendy Silvester, 43, from Grunsel Close, Northway, Oxford, said there were fewer houses on her estate this year with Christmas lights.

She said: "It's a shame as there are normally more homes around here that put lights up. We've got young children and there are lots of other young children on the estate who really enjoy it. It took us a whole morning to get them up, but it's great because once they are up you really get into the Christmas spirit."

Brian Forsyth, 38, said it was nice to do something to brighten up the neighbourhood at Christmas time - especially for his three children, Campbell, six, Euan, four, and Lochlan, three.

Mr Forsyth, from Ashurst Way, Rose Hill, Oxford, said: "It's nice to get them up. I've got three kids and it's just for them. It's also a bit of humour. It brightens the place up and makes it a bit more interesting for everyone."

Mr Forsyth's friend, John Massingham, 44, helped put up the Christmas decorations and said they were great for children like his son, Kai, four, to see.

He said: "It's nice to see a bit of colour and I know that my son loves it."

The Simpson family of Long Hanborough, near Woodstock, invited Father Christmas to put up his grotto in their home to raise money for sick children.

It is the sixth year running that their house in Roosevelt Road has become a Christmas attraction, raising more than £22,000 with a display of festive lights and visits from Santa, in aid of ward 5E at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital. Dad Geoff Simpson started the collections after his son Darryll received treatment there for leukaemia.

Mr Simpson said: "He's 35 now and doing fine. We'll always remember the care he had at ward 5E."

This year the family has so far raised about £1,000. The grotto is open on Sunday from 4.30pm to 6pm.