Christmas is usually that time of year when people are in a giving frame of mind, with families and friends coming together to enjoy the holiday festivities.

Unfortunately, a Christmas grinch has reared its ugly head, leaving bad taste in the mouth of Narrandera resident, Brett Deahm.

The Deahm family have been sharing the Christmas spirit, with their light and inflatable display hard to miss on the Newell Highway as you leave Narrandera for Grong Grong.

Unfortunately, on two different occasions (December 3 and December 9 or 10), someone stole three inflatables, with a 1200mm Christmas Avocado, 1200mm Santa up a tree, and 1200mm dog, all taken, while cords to other displays were cut.

Christmas decorations aren’t cheap, with Deahm losing over $400 worth of inflatables in the two instances. He isn’t worried about the costs, but rather, the impact on his family.

“These inflatables were picked out by my kids. They are devastated about someone taking them,” Deahm said.

“It was a bit of fun to see the kids laugh at them. We are big on Christmas decorations (and) we do Halloween decorations as well, so we like to spread good spirits.”

Locals have been visiting the property, with the Deahm display one of many in town.

“Over the month of December, we’ve had people stop and look at them. People that drive by at night, they toot their horns and wave when they see them,” Deahm said.

“We registered with Narrandera Shire Council so that the local Lions Club train can come past and look at them but it’s a bit upsetting when your decorations keep going missing and it takes the Christmas spirit away.”

It looks like it will be the locals and the kids missing out on the Deahm family Christmas display next year, with the Narrandera resident deciding not to decorate the front of his property anymore.

“I said to my partner that we won’t be putting them up out front next year (and) we’ll put them up in the back yard so at least my kids will get to have fun with putting them up.” Deahm said.

“I feel sorry for the locals that do appreciate them, but I just can’t afford to keep losing inflatables.”

The Argus did contact the Narrandera Police Station for comment, and while they referred to this incident as a ‘very low act’, they confirmed that no other reports of Christmas display damage or theft had been made.

For anyone with any information on the missing and damage inflatables, they are encouraged to contact the police.

This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 22 December 2022.