A Donegal family has turned their countryside home into a stunning Christmas grotto to help their autistic son.
Every inch of the Cullen family home in Newtowncunningham is covered in Christmas decorations from giant snowmen to life-size Santas.
The family has spent thousands of euro on the decorations in the past ten years after son Kieran became fascinated with a small snowman which he put in the family’s front garden.
Since then his fascination with the decorations has ‘snowballed’.
The family has just spent a full week putting up the decorations which attracts visitors from across Co Donegal.
Dad Michael said it’s a lot of work but he said it’s all worth it to make Kieran and his brother and sister, Jamie, 11, and Shauna, 18, happy.
“It started off when we put a snowman in the front garden about ten years ago and Kieran really took to it.
“He asked for a couple more and it literally snowballed form there.
“It’s a lot of work and some people think we’re a bit mad but it’s worth it to see the children’s faces and it really helps Kieran,” he said.
Michael has also put an offertory box outside his garden and last year raised €3,500 for charity – despite an incident when the garden was attacked and many decorations damaged.
Michael is hoping this year’s charity appeal can help cancer services in Donegal.
“It was great to raise the money last year but we are hoping people can dig into their pockets again this year,” he said.
The Cullen’s annual ESB bill rockets by more than €200 each Christmas but Michael said he doesn’t even think of the cost.
“We all love Christmas and if we can do a little bit of good then that’s al that matters,” he said.
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