CALLINGTON’S Christmas tree will have extra special meaning this year as it will stand in memory of a much-loved man in the town who adored all things festive.

Anyone driving around the town to see the Christmas lights in the early 2000s could not fail to spot the Wheeler family home on South Hill Road.

Inspired by a trip to Florida, Chris Wheeler came back determined to recreate the outsized and fabulous displays he’d seen – and his cherished collection of decorations was added to year upon year.

“Chris just loved Christmas. He loved to see the children come round to look at the lights – he loved to see their faces,” said his wife Verena.

“One year I rang him to find out where our son was – I needed to take him up to sixth form - and they’d driven all the way to Bristol to pick up a particular decoration, because the B&Q in Plymouth didn’t have it. He was a big kid at heart. Whenever I bought presents for the children he would ask me not to tell him what they were, so that it would be a surprise for him, too.”

At the same time as Chris began putting up lights, he and Verena also planted a small fir tree in their garden. “It was quite small, just the kind of tree you’d have in your house, and it came in a little red bucket,” said Verena.

“Chris planted it in the garden red bucket and all, and we decorated it for several years. But it just got bigger and bigger.”

When the annual display became too much for Chris, he donated all the lights to Callington Fire Station, where they have adorned the tower every year since for people to enjoy. Chris, who was 67, passed away in June.

“At the beginning of this year Chris said that the tree had just got to come down – it had simply got too big and was starting to push the wall down. It’s about 30 feet tall,” said Verena.

“It seemed too good a tree to just throw away, so we asked the Council if they would like it for the town.”

Volunteers with the Callington Foot Project were delighted to hear of the tree, which they agreed to come and take down, and which has now been installed in St Mary’s Square ahead of the lights switch-on on December 5.

The tree will be lit up in memory not only of Chris Wheeler, but of all the loved ones in the Callington area who have passed away this year.

Meanwhile, thanks to a donation of several hundred ball pool balls, children at Callington Primary School and the town’s Scouts have been creating giant baubles with paints, glitter and tinsel, to go on the tree.

Verena says that she, her children Gareth and Lorraine and her two granddaughters all agree that Chris would have loved the idea of their tree going up in the town centre for all to enjoy.

“He would have loved the attention,” she said. “There was never a dull moment when he was around, he was always laughing and joking and he had so many friends. He had a big heart.”