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INUVIK - It seems like everyone's preparing for Christmas by decorating their houses and buildings with lights and other bright ornaments.

Last year, Deb and Darren Karst took third place for their display on the east end of Mackenzie Road.

Video Effects clerk Martina Amos decorated the store earlier this month with lights and garland. The town is in the festive spirit with only one week left before Christmas. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

Their family of reindeer and impressive light show has been distracting drivers for the past few weeks.

Deb spoke with Inuvik Drum earlier this week about this year's entry.

"We've added a bit to the display this year," she said.

Among the additions are a few more trees and some new members to the deer family.

"We have one that sits on top of a sled, which is on a small hill," said Karst.

She said the work started two weekends ago, when she pulled the decorated animals from their summer home under their deck.

"Once you assemble them, they're good to go," she said.

She said their light display is set to a photo cell, which turns them off in the light of day, which in Inuvik at this time of year is very brief.

"They're only shut off for a half hour during lunch," she said.

All of the lights in front of the Karst home are LED.

Karst said she makes an effort to buy some new lights every season, to add some flair to the display.

"Right now, we're putting ideas together for next year," she said.

Putting on a display like the one they have takes more than what is offered in town.

"I had to order the two big deer from the south," she said.

Video Effects is also decorated and lit up for the holiday season.

Staff member Martina Amos said the decorations have been up for about a week and a half.

She said they are proudly displaying the string of lights they got from the town office in their front window.

As for the other decorators in town, Amos said she noticed one house down the west end of Mackenzie Road.

"He has a lot of those inflatable decorations in his yard," she said.

Amos said she wasted no time in preparing for the season at her own home.

"We decorated our place in the first week of November," she said.

"I'm one of those crazy Christmas people."

The town will begin judging the contest for best residential decorations this Friday night.