A US couple have been praised for ‘an incredible gesture’ after raising more than $2 million for juvenile diabetes with their extravagant Christmas light display.
Joe and Jodi Mure, from Queens, New York, have been adding to their festive decorations for 26 years and now the display is so large it take 150 people to put it up.
Joe, a criminal defence attorney, started the traditional in 1996 after he missed Christmas with his daughter Isabella. The family have added to it every year, with the decorations being put up the day after Halloween.
The family appeared on This Morning today to speak to hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby from outside their winter wonderland – which has been dubbed ‘The Little North Pole’ as it’s so large.
The incredible garden includes 20ft toy solders, two ice rinks, mechanical dancers, and even a Santa’s workshop.
Now a huge event in their neighbourhood, the Mure family hold an opening night where they raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, with hundreds of people also donating online.
‘Opening night outside my house, we have hundreds of people. Santa comes, we feed everyone, we give toys to every kid,’ Joe explained to Holly and Phil.
‘Its like a Broadway show, we have singers, dancers, an MC, a whole show’
A US couple have been praised for ‘an incredible gesture’ after raising more than $2 million for juvenile diabetes with their extravagant Christmas light display (pictured)
Joe and Jodi Mure, from Queens, New York, have been adding to their festive decorations for 26 years and now the display is so large it take 150 people to put it up
Joe, a criminal defence attorney, started the traditional in 1996 after he missed Christmas with his daughter Isabella. The family have added to it every year, with the decorations being put up the day after Halloween. The family appeared on This Morning today to speak to hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby from outside their winter wonderland – which has been dubbed ‘The Little North Pole’ as it’s so large
‘We do it to help children with juvenile diabetes – every penny we raise goes to the juvenile diabetes association to help research,’ he added.
Viewers praised the couple for being ‘incredibly sweet’ and ‘keeping the magic of Christmas alive’.
‘This guy’s house from New York on this morning is amazing keeping the magic of Christmas alive. He’s old enough to be me brother but I want him to be my dad. Love that New York accent,’ said one.
The incredible garden includes 20ft toy solders, two ice rinks, mechanical dancers, and even a Santa’s workshop
Now a huge event in their neighbourhood, the Mure family hold an opening night where they raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, with hundreds of people also donating online
‘What a couple doing this for such a great cause. I have two sons and also myself that have type 1 diabetes and you wouldn’t believe how many still think we ‘got’ this from sweets, junk food etc. Sorry but my pancreas switched off and stopped producing insulin – shocker,’ added another.
‘Not sure what I love more, Joe’s lights or his accent,’ wrote a third.
‘Just tuned in. Blimey! Thought this was in a main thoroughfare in New York not someone’s house,’
Viewers praised the couple for being ‘incredibly sweet’ and ‘keeping the magic of Christmas alive’.
‘Well can’t fault them. That’s a great cause they’re helping,’ added another.
Explaining the various elements of the home installation, Joe explained: ‘These trees actually talk and sing, they talk about our mission and how we help the children.
‘We have show room dancers, toy solders that are 20ft tall, nutcrackers, dancers, dogs, ice rink, Santa’s workshop, a scene from central park, another ice rink
‘We’ve raised over two million dollars for the team, we’re gonna do the best we can and stay out until a cure is found for the disease
‘We have two tractor-trailers that it gets loaded into after Christmas, we put it back in and I have friends that store it for me’.