When driving along Chemin du Fleuve in Coteau-du-Lac, it's impossible not to notice the home of Nicole Lavoie and Gérald Gauthier. At Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas, the couple's home puts a smile on the faces of passers-by with its colorful, sparkling decorations. Interview with Nicole Lavoie, who brings joy to her community. 

Decorations have been part of the couple's daily routine for 25 years, ever since they built their home on chemin du Fleuve in Coteau-du-Lac. And their decorations have been growing ever since. 

“I'm originally from Gaspésie and come from a family of 26 children. Resourcefulness was therefore at the heart of our family's daily routine. I inherited my mother's gift for making miracles out of very little. I learned everything from my mother. Every year, we decorate our house for Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas. I'm retired now, but even when I was working full-time, I still did it. I try to keep each theme going for six weeks to give people time to admire it,” Nicole Lavoie sums up on the other end of the phone.  

Teamwork to spread smiles 

In summer, the home's grounds are adorned with flowers of all kinds, which also attract the attention of passers-by. Fortunately, Mrs Lavoie can count on her husband's help every year to brighten up their single-family home. “He helps me put out the bins full of decorations, and he's very handy, so he can make me custom items if I need them. Every year, I try to vary the decorations and themes. People, especially children, who come to admire the decorations are very observant. Sometimes, they even bring me items they no longer use. Children sometimes leave their pets in the decor,” she says. 

Each set takes about two weeks to assemble.  “I always add a little more over the next few days. People often come here in the evening and sit on the gallery to watch the decor. They chat and take photos. Sometimes they even knock on the door to chat with us. They're always very respectful and friendly. It's a pleasure to see their faces light up when they come to watch,” she confides. 

According to Ms. Lavoie, creating the themed decorations each year is undoubtedly the couple's biggest challenge. “Once it's done, we often ask ourselves: what are we going to do next year? It takes a lot of preparation and energy. But we do it because it brings joy to people's daily lives, and we get lots of good and nice comments. People are always welcome to come and admire the decor up close”, she admits. 

The couple even receive a letter of thanks from the town council for their efforts to brighten up the community.  “We don't expect it and we don't do it for that, but it makes a little velvet obviously.”

In mid-January, Nicole Lavoie and her husband removed the Christmas decorations to make way for Valentine's Day decorations. The decorations remain in place for five or six weeks before being replaced by Easter decorations.  

Despite the effort required to set up and dismantle these decorations, Ms. Lavoie is committed to doing so until her health no longer permits. “People who come here think it's beautiful. Seniors recall memories of their family celebrations and are very happy to see that the enchantment of Christmas still exists. People decorate and celebrate less and less. People spend long minutes here in the evening admiring the decor, taking photos and letting themselves be imbued with the magic,” she concludes.