For decades, Eddie Stevenson was Aberdeen’s very own ‘Mr Christmas’, beloved by generations of children for dazzling festive light displays at his Ashgrove Road West home.
At one time, he had the biggest homemade lights display in Britain.
A bright spark, sometimes nicknamed Mr Gadget for his technical wizardry, he brought sparkle to even the most dreich of December nights for 36 years.
And a true bringer of Christmas joy, Eddie’s efforts raised more than £250,000 for schools and charities that supported children with additional needs.
But the displays raised many more smiles.
Eddie recently passed away at the age of 81, but we’ve looked back at his legacy, which endures in the memories of Aberdonians.
Stars from football and TV came to see Eddie’s illuminations
Eddie initially started putting up lights in 1982, for the amusement of his young boys, Philip and Austin.
By day he was chief technician in Aberdeen University’s medical physics department at Foresterhill, helping pioneer the world’s first MRI scanner.
But in his spare time, Eddie used his imagination and technical know-how to painstaking recreate fibreglass models of TV favourites.
His festive displays were months in the planning, in both his and his parents’ Ashgrove Road West gardens, with work to set them up beginning in summer.
Eddie’s garden would be illuminated over the festive season, attracting hundreds of visitors each year, from all over the north-east.
It was only in 1985 he realised he could capitalise on the popularity of his Christmas displays, and raise money for disadvantaged children in Aberdeen.
His first-ever proceeds went to the Special Nursery Appeal, to fund a neonatal unit at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital.
And in 1986, then-Dons star Alex McLeish was one of the first to see Eddie’s latest collection of characters – Postman Pat, Jess the Cat and his van.
Money Eddie raised helped establish Aberdeen’s neonatal nursery
For many children growing up in Aberdeen, a trip along Ashgrove Road West became part of Christmas tradition.
School trips and bus loads of children from youth organisations would take a detour through Ashgrove to glimpse the glittering displays.
In 1988, the theme was perennial favourite Thomas the Tank engine, with TV personality Fiona Kennedy doing the honours of switching the lights on.
And despite footing a rather large electricity bill, Eddie gave all profits to charity.
The local charities that benefited that year were Smithfield School for the Deaf, Pitfodels School, Woodlands Hospital, and Aberdeen Children’s Society.
In 1989, Eddie pledged all money raised would be in the memory of his colleague, technician David Jack, who was killed in a road traffic collision two weeks before.
Eddie hoped to fulfil Mr Jack’s wishes of establishing a neonatal nursery in Aberdeen, with a Fireman Sam display that year.
As ever, preparation had started months before, as it took Eddie eight weeks to create Fireman Sam alone.
Eddie kept up-to-date with kids’ crazes in the ’90s
Despite the countless hours of graft, Eddie told the Evening Express in 1994 that he “liked the pleasure of being able to help less fortunate people”.
And that was the year he was recognised by Voluntary Service Aberdeen with an award for his fundraising.
But his kindness wasn’t just for Christmas – that summer his fibreglass Cinderella carriage also took a starring role in the Bon Accord Festival Parade.
Eddie also helped make fantastical creations for Aberdeen’s Student Show.
When he ran out of room to keep some figures, Eddie sold them off for charity to make room for more.
Many of them bear a striking resemblance to other figures in Storybook Glen…
And by the ’90s he was even taking requests from children desperate to see their small-screen heroes lit up in Aberdeen.
In 1998, Eddie smashed through his fundraising target, raising an incredible £50,000 in 16 years with the help of his dino display.
He had created a 6ft 6inch model of American TV favourite Barney the Dinosaur, who had a Furby in his hat.
The year Eddie’s concrete Teletubbies made their debut raised a bumper £8000 in donations.
Eddie explained: “I like to pick something topical every year.
“Last time the Teletubbies were really popular and this year everyone seems to be going on about Furbies, so I went for that.”
Eddie reluctantly retired from display in 2017
The fact Eddie kept his finger on the pulse of what was popular in youth culture kept people coming back year after year.
Ever down with the kids, other favourites to join the ranks in Aberdeen’s biggest and brightest unofficial lights display included the Smurfs, In the Night Garden and SpongeBob SquarePants.
But all good things comes to an end, and 2017 was truly the end of an era for Aberdeen when Eddie pulled the plug on his Christmas light displays.
After nearly four decades, Eddie took a well-earned retirement from his festive fundraising.
By then he was 74 and admitted it was a lot of work, and that all his helpers were also pensioners.
His final display included My Little Pony characters and while he said it was “sad” not to be continuing, his festive fundraising went out in a blaze of glory.
We’ve taken a look back at some of Eddie’s joyful displays over the years.
Gallery: Eddie’s Christmas light displays from 2000 onwards
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