After eight years in Fish Hoek, the Haines family, who annually turned their home into a magical Christmas wonderland, are returning to America.

Emily Haines, who is currently in California, broke the news with a “heavy heart”, saying she travelled to California in September to visit her parents but became stranded due to visa and immigration delays.

"We have been battling with immigration attorneys since the moment I landed in San Francisco, but, sadly, there’s no end in sight,” she said. “It’s been one of the worst experiences ever. Being away from my kids and not knowing when I can return is like torture.”

Emily will remain in California while her husband, Matthew, prepares the family’s move. He and the couple’s four sons, Aiden ,17; Liam,14; Finnegan, 10; and Conor, 7, will fly to join Emily just before Christmas.

“We absolutely love Fish Hoek and the amazing friends we have made in this lovely community. Thank you, Fish Hoek, for the amazing last eight years of our family’s life. We have made lifelong friendships and so many wonderful memories,” said Emily.

Describing the difficulties of managing without Emily, Matthew said: “It’s been manic. I have no idea how Emily does this from day to day. I owe her a massive ‘I’m sorry’ and an even bigger ‘thank you’ for the amazing work she does for this family.”

Despite the hurdles, the family’s decision was ultimately influenced by Matthew’s new job opportunity in America.

“We’ve been debating moving back for some time now, but this decision wasn’t easy. The universe definitely spoke for us,” Emily said.

The move has not been without its emotional toll.

“I will miss the community so much,” Emily said. “The children that have become like my own, the gym tribe, Fish Hoek Beach, and even hearing the high school assemblies from my house.”

Matthew echoed her sentiments, saying, “The sense of community is amazing. People look out for your kids, and this beautiful little valley has been so good to us. It’s hard to think about not living here.”

The family’s famed Christmas lights display started in 2017.

“The inspiration was to give a ‘thank you’ to the community for welcoming us with such open arms,” Matthew said. “It’s been amazing to watch little kids grow up in awe of the lights. We’ve even had people get engaged under them!”

As the family prepare to leave, they’ve been deeply touched by the community’s support.

Matthew said a BackaBuddy campaign had helped to cover the cost of moving their four pets, including their beloved African grey parrot, Troll.

“It was very unexpected, but now we can bring her to the States with us, which is huge!” he said.

Reflecting on their time in Fish Hoek, Matthew added, “Our children grew up here, and this fantastic place gave them the safety to do it as little kids should - with big smiles and lots of laughter.”

The Haines family’s farewell message is one of gratitude. “Thank you! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!” Matthew said. “We will never forget our time here, and we will be back to visit. This valley hasn’t seen the last of the Haines Fam 6.”

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Christmas lights family return to America