Since it was announced on Christmas Eve that Rillan Hill resident, Jimmy Samuel was this year’s national lighting up champion, Vincentians have been travelling from various communities to see “the winning house”.

“Everybody come and say they feel happy. Last night some people say they come to see the winning house and they [were] quite happy,” Samuel told SEARCHLIGHT on Tuesday via telephone.

The 81-year-old edged out Cane End resident, Olivia DaSilva who was aiming for her seventh consecutive win this year, for the top spot.

Samuel noted that has been competing in the Nine Mornings Lighting Up competition since 2006; and in those 15 years, this is perhaps his fourth win.

“I got a good feeling winning again one more time after quite a while. At one time, I didn’t expect I was going to win because I didn’t have nobody to help. I was doing it all on my own but then to the end, my neighbour came and she changed up some of the things. She did the fence, the bottom fence and the top one and we just put it together…” he said.

Samuel, whose theme for 2021 was “Christ is Christmas’’, also believes that the extra lights he added to the display this year is what helped him to cop the national championship title.

He expressed being quite happy for everyone who enjoys coming every year to look at the lights but being perhaps the oldest competitor in the competition, he is ready to throw in the towel.

Samuel said he is willing to give his lights to someone else to take over the lighting up tradition.

Olivia Da Silva of Cane End, Wayne DuPont of Green Hill and Glenroy Pierre of Petit Bordel placed second, third and fourth respectively in the national competition.

The Roseau Recreational Park copped first place in the Best Nativity Scene category.

DaSilva placed second, Samuel placed third and Clouden placed fourth in this category.

The Best Lit Commercial Building title went to Coreas Hazells this year, pushing 2020 winner Jax Enterprises into second place.

Point Village, recovering from the volcanic eruption retained the title of Best Lit Community.

The Sion Hill Intersection, Davis’ Square in Richland Park and Village Square in Rose Bank was second, third and fourth respectively.
The Roseau Recreational Park once again copped the title of Best Lit Garden.

Others in winners row in this category were Hull’s residence at Villa top, Richmond Hill Gardens and the Fitz Hughes school grounds placing first, second and third respectively.