A Vancouver couple has been granted their Christmas wish to have a lawn full of twinkling decorations after most of their holiday display was stolen earlier this month.
Niki and John Angelopoulos have been collecting outdoor decorations for the past decade, and were devastated to find 70 per cent of them gone two weeks ago.
“I feel upset. I cried. I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it, why they do that?” Niki told Global News.
Since then, however, residents have been showing up in droves with gift cards and decorations to help replace the stolen goods, bringing some holiday cheer back to the Angelopoulos home.
Some came from as far away as Surrey, the couple said.
“I don’t believe it,” Niki said happily on Wednesday. “The people have so big hearts to bring me some. Of course they help because it costs lots of money.”
The Greek couple has lived in Vancouver for about 50 years and had accumulated a number of blowup decorations. Some of their ornaments cost as much as $300 each.
After it was all stolen, they vowed to make it right — “better than before,” said Niki. Two weeks later, Santas big and small, snowmen, wreaths, lights, tinsel, and ornaments adorn the front lawn once more.
“I fix it again only because I love that, I love Christmas, I love the kids,” she explained. “The kids coming here to see it, take a picture. It’s very, very nice at night.
“A big, big thank you to everybody. I wish them merry, merry Christmas and a happy New Year.”