One house in Llanfaes has brought a miniature version of the incredible experience to the town with its stunning window display.
Cherrypicker House, which is occupied by Alison and Tim Barnes, showed an impressively detailed window display to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.
Complete with union flags, trees, small cameramen and Buckingham Palace, troops and their horses can be seen lining up for inspection outside the miniature version of the royal abode.
Alison Barnes, who is behind the incredible window display, said: “We love the Queen and all she stands for. We wanted to create a jubilee window and decorate the house to celebrate such a once in our lifetime event.”
The Barnes family describe themselves as “very patriotic”, and have a history entwined with the military.
The grandmother-of-two, who describes herself as “lucky”, said: “We are a very patriotic family, as my family have served in the military and my husband is a veteran royal marine commando.
“My eldest daughter was in the sea cadets and my youngest is a sergeant in the army cadets - I could not be prouder. My other daughter is training to be a teacher, how good is that?”
Those who live in Brecon or visit the Llanfaes area around Christmas will be no stranger to the amazing window displays on offer - it is hard not to stop and put your face up against the glass.
Last Christmas, the display was complete with an electric ski lift, snow scene, skiiers and more.
Alison said she loves to hear people’s reactions to her window and decorations.
She said: “I lived in Germany and loved Christmas shops and residential windows so much, as it transported me back to childhood to that feeling of wonder and joy.
“When I do a window I want people to have that same feeling, that they want to shrink and be a part of the celebration or village that I create.
“It brings me enormous joy to hear people like the decorations and window and hope I’ve made people smile especially after the last few years and the tough times ahead.”
While Alison struggles due to constant fatigue and pain following an accident which affected her spine and her hand, she doesn’t let it stop her from turning the house into a sight to behold.
Before her accident, Alison worked as a health care assistant for the NHS - which she loved - however she injured her hand when completing the first Christmas window in 2020 when she trapped her hand in a wooden door at home.
“I do struggle as I have constant fatigue and pain due to an accident, I had on my spine and my hand before that and I was a health care assistant for the NHS”, she said.
“It was an amazing career, but the first Christmas window in 2020 I had my first accident where I trapped my hand in wooden doors at home. I was in a cast trying to make the mountain.
“The second sledging accident in January 2021 really hurt my spine but I’ve survived on morphine and by just upping the dosage to complete the tasks and I do okay.
“I also get a lot of help from my husband and children thankfully. What used to take a week to complete now takes months sadly.”
However, Alison said they will not be resuming the Christmas window this year as they are moving address.
The step-mother of five said: “We are moving as the landlord is selling the property, so we are unable to do a Christmas window this year but, if we are still here in October we will definitely do a Halloween one
“We are just so glad we live in Brecon and will be moving within Brecon hopefully, as we love it here, a military town that has wonderful people that are always willing to welcome you and help. We are very very lucky.”