As Christmas lights begin appearing across Australia, one Sydney resident has taken a seasonal tradition in a distinctive direction. Australian mangoes are now in peak season, and for one Oran Park family, the fruit has inspired a themed display attracting local attention.
Sydney father and Christmas light enthusiast Alex Mangos has decorated his home in Sydney's south-west with a mango-themed installation. Known in the neighbourhood for elaborate displays that raise funds for the Sydney Children's Hospital, this year he has added hundreds of orange lights and large mango-shaped features in reference to both his surname and his fondness for the fruit.
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"With a last name like mine, I wanted to pay homage to my love for mangoes and make the house shine in mango gold," says Mangos. "We've been doing it for years to help fundraise for the Sydney Children's Hospital. It's our family's way of spreading some Christmas cheer, but this year we wanted to do something a little different."
The display includes references to the well-known 'hedgehog' method of slicing a mango, along with other mango-inspired visual elements.
Loretta Bowen, an Australian mango grower and children's book author, says it is encouraging to see how the fruit resonates with consumers during the summer period. "Nothing else makes us prouder than seeing how excited Aussies are to see mangoes on shelves," she says. "It has been interesting to see Alex's interpretation of the season in his display."
The Mango Christmas Lights display will run from 12 to 19 November, operating nightly from 7 PM to 10:30 PM at 12 Bourne Ridge, Oran Park.
Residents in the area are welcome to visit the display and view the installation as the summer fruit season gets underway.
© Hort InnovationFor more information:
Elyse Allum
Horticulture Innovation Australia
Tel: +61 (0) 438 161 416
Email: [email protected]
www.horticulture.com.au
