For US resident Jonathan Chambers, a Harry Potter-themed Christmas was the way to go. This year, Chambers, an architect by profession, has recreated his front driveway into Diagon Alley, the famous wizard hangout in the Potter universe.
The Diagon Alley is open to all for Christmas and even features an Albus Dumbledore Santa Claus. тАЬMy girls and I had a brainstorming session in the summer about what we could do for Halloween this year to get more trick-or-treaters. They suggested “Diagon Alley”, which seemed like a perfect fit for our long driveway and a set in the Harry Potter series that I am particularly fond of. So I said yes immediately. The girls then ran outside with their sidewalk caulk and started planning out the alley,тАЭ said Chambers, while speaking to DNA via email.
Chambers says that prior to this project, he had not done anything big, primarily due to the hectic schedule he and his wife have in Seattle. тАЬI then decided to take a break from my hectic schedule and recreated the alley,тАЭ he said.
Photos and video of the installation, located in ChambersтАЩ neighbourhood squeezed into ChambersтАЩ interpretation of Diagon Alley. These include the Eeylops Owl Emporium, Ollivanders wand shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies, Magical Menagerie, Flourish and Blotts bookshop and Madam MalkinтАЩs Robes for All Occasions. In addition, several people have cosplayed as characters from Harry Potter to give a more real feel to the entire experience.
Chambers says that the donations for the cause will go into pancreatic cancer research. “When I started building this on Oct 14th, 2017, I knew that I wanted to put out a donation bucket for a cause. So I gave the task of selecting a cause to my girls, Haley (11) and Avery (8),тАЭ he said.
It so happened that Matt Benke, the CEO of one of the company’s that ChambersтАЩ wifeтАЩs company invests in died of pancreatic cancer. тАЬThe news of his passing upset my girls, and they were confused why Matt’s children had to lose their father so quickly. So they decided to put out a donation bucket in his honor, to fund pancreatic cancer research,тАЭ he added.
So far, the initiative has raised $18,000, with a donation bucket full of cash still left to count and submit. тАЬ100% of these proceeds are going pancreatic cancer research and are being submitted to a Seattle Cancer Care Alliance website that is sponsored in Matt’s name.┬а In total this site has received over $1,15,000 in total donations,тАЭ Chambers added.
After the Harry Potter mania ends in Christmas, Chambers will take it down in January, and rebuild it at a camp for children with life-threatening illnesses. тАЬWe will expand on what we already have,тАЭ he added.
Next year, Chambers says he wants to do something Star Wars related. тАЬI am drawing up plans for that experience currently,тАЭ he said.
