Betty Weaver’s last wish was to keep the family’s Christmas-themed houses open after she died and now thieves have broken in and stolen decorations.
The theft, while disappointing her family, has not put them off from continuing with the Christmas decorations’ tradition started by Weaver, known in Temuka as Mrs Christmas, 21 years ago.
The family say they will “keep going” with Christmas decorations every year.
Anna Weavers, daughter-in-law of Betty, said the thieves took a couple of Christmas cushions, Christmas teddy bears and a LED reindeer when they entered their North Town Belt property which has an unoccupied derelict house on it that they have been decorating for the past four years.
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Weavers said Betty’s one final wish was for her family to keep her Christmas-decorated home on Seddon St and the Christmas decorated property on North Town Belt open for others to enjoy.
Betty Weavers died on December 18 at Timaru Hospital, aged 85, after a short illness. She and husband George have opened their Seddon St home to the public at the start of December every year since 2001.
“We opened the property on North Town Belt and the Seddon St property up in honour of her because it was her last wish,” Anna Weavers said.
JOHN BISSET/Stuff
Ken and Anna Weavers outside their Christmas-decorated derelict house in Temuka that thieves have entered and taken some decorations.
“We will continue to put up the decorations every year. The fact that it was Betty’s last wish and somebody stole the decorations did upset us a lot more than we thought it would.
“The decorations do not have much monetary value, but it was more about what it stands for like the looks on the kids’ faces when they saw it.”
Weavers said, although the decorations did not have significance to others, it did have a lot of significance to the family.
“[We’re] a little bit gutted, but we’re going to keep going every year. We’ll put some cameras up and everyone can come and enjoy it like they always do.
“They did attempt to steal a hand-painted sign but decided to leave it in the driveway for us.
“Most of the decorations this year were given to us by Ballantynes and members of the community to use in the house. They were gifted and that’s what pissed me off the most.”
JOHN BISSET/Stuff
Inside the Weavers’ Christmas-decorated derelict house in Temuka that thieves have entered and taken some decorations.
The Weavers family got the property with the derelict house about five years ago and this was the fourth year of them putting up the decorations.
“It’s just incredible to see kids come in, and they are absolutely petrified of Santa, and he spends time talking to their mums and dads and next minute they are up on his lap and chatting away to him.
“It’s really magical and it’s really special and that why we do it.”
What started as just a Santa sitting on a deck chair turned into something “bigger and better” every year including adding more trees, decorations and poppies and soldiers during Anzac Day every year.
“We started doing it and the neighbours loved it because it slowed the traffic down out front … its like putting lipstick on her and people stop and pay attention to her and the farm equipment we got out front makes people stop and take some time and enjoy the season.”
JOHN BISSET/Stuff
Anna Weavers said, although the decorations did not have significance to others, it did have a lot of significance to the family.
She said “there are a lot of things” she wants to tell to those responsible for the theft but the one important thing she wants to tell them is – “Don’t spoil it for everybody else.”
Following the theft, Weavers put up a post on a community page on social media and said the family have received a lot of support from the community.
AIMAN AMERUL MUNER/Stuff
Betty Weavers pictured in early December, 2022.
“We had lots of people offering to give decorations to the house. The community have been so supportive about it and some even offered to come sit by the house, so it does not happen again.”
The decorations at the Seddon St house will possibly be up till Friday and Weaver said the decorations at the North Town Belt property will be up for at least another two weeks.