For as long as Amy Burling can remember, her grandmother Barb, has festooned the front of her Boggabri home with a colourful Christmas display.
But late Wednesday evening, two teenage louts, allegedly drunk, “smashed up” part of the display.
Mrs Burling said the vandals “beheaded” the Frozen character Anna, depicted on a plyboard cut-out.
“Nan is on a pension and she puts a lot of hard work into this display,” Mrs Burling said. “She is really upset.”
The granddaughter who now lives in Moree, grew up in Boggabri and recalled how the family treated Nan to a drive around town every Christmas Eve to see neighbouring displays.
“Christmas wasn’t Christmas without going to Nan’s,” she said.
Barb’s “big display” complete with decorated pine trees, a life-size Mr and Mrs Claus, reindeer, nativity scene and a “ton of lights”, has been a car-stopper in Boggabri for years.
But after this incident, Mrs Burling is worried it might be the last for Nan’s renown Christmas showpiece.
“My grandmother is no longer a young woman and has been quite sick this year,” she told followers of her Facebook page Scarlett Images.
“But she still worked tirelessly in the lead up to Christmas making sure the cut-outs are painted and in good shape and that all her dazzling lights are working. Always pouring money into it despite her dismal pension.
“Whatever happened to my beautiful quiet hometown of Boggabri? And what on earth is happening with the youth of today?”
Barb was equally miffed at the mentality of some people.
“I’ve lived in this area for more than 50 years but have never had this happen before,” Barb said.
“I just couldn’t believe it.
“If not for neighbours [who raised the alert] they could have done more damage.”
The “workaholic”, who has won first, second and third in Boggabri’s Christmas lights competition, is soon to be a great grandmother for the first time. So if only for the kids, Barb’s display might have at least one more year left in it yet.
