Christmas lights go on in villages across the district

THE official switch-on of the first Holmbridge community Christmas tree took place on Friday last week. A large group of local people gathered outside the Bridge Tavern to enjoy the festivities, with mulled wine, mince pies and assorted treats for the children.

VILLAGERS customised Christmas trees for a Yuletide Festival in Skelmanthorpe. More than 40 trees transformed Skelmanthorpe Methodist Church into a winter wonderland. They were exhibited by local businesses, schools and clubs who got busy decorating them in a theme to reflect their business or group. Children from St Aidan's First School, pictured, adorned their tree with custom made decorations while the local butcher, hairdresser and beauty shops also created bespoke baubles representing their trades.CAPTION(S):Holme Silver Band and Vocal Expressions choir led a traditional and enjoyable outdoor carol service with a sprinkling of snow falling to give the whole event a truly festive and seasonal feel.The lights were switched on by villager Kath Bellamy.Local children adorned the tree with an assortment of lovely hand-made decorations.More than 170 visitors were wowed by the display and many stayed on to enjoy a variety of live music and refreshments. Organists included Christine Senior, Bernard Jaggar and Tony Ward, along with singers and instrumentalists, Stuart and Rose Merry, who sang, played the recorder and the guitar. On Friday morning children from St Aidan's First School performed songs with a seasonal theme. In the afternoon, the choir from Skelmanthorpe First and Nursery School sang Christmas songs, carols and a selection from their forthcoming Christmas production.Thanks also to Holme Valley Parish Council for sponsoring the lights and to the Bridge Tavern for the power to illuminate them and also for making those present so welcome on the night.Most impressive was the village bakery who created a Christmas tree entirely made from buns with a ginger bread house. The festival was sponsored by Solo's and Chi Chini.Many people had been involved in the preparations and thanks go to those who made donations of all kinds to make the event such a success.

TREE-MENDOUS: Skelmanthorpe First School pupils with their trees at the Christmas Tree Festival at Skelmanthorpe Methodist Church - Evie Wojarski, Nathan Moorhouse, Amelia Embury-Walsh, Archie Greaves, McKenna Drake and Ellie Rumney Picture Julian Hughes by ( JH101210Htree-01) LET THERE BE LIGHT: Trevor and Kath Bellamy, left and right, and Bridge Tavern hosts Matthew and Alison, centre, and below the festive scene after the big switch-on

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS

Christmas holidays at Mystic Seaport featured its annual Lantern Light Tours which for 70-min took its audiences back to Christmases of another era with the tours made on foot, or taking a horse-drawn carriage ride.

Information: The Maritime Museum of San Diego, 1492 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101; or, (619) 234-9153, fax (619) 234-8345.The Maritime Museum of San Diego observed Christmas with the Annual Parade of Lights on San Diego Bay, 12 and 19 December where participants enjoyed the spectacular views while they enjoyed a Holiday Buffet on the ferryboat Berkeley. On the 18th, the yacht America cruised to where passengers could view whale watching. On the 30th, the Annual Port of San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade took place.Trudy Herbst, the Museum's Director of Development, noted that "after a hiatus for a number of years, we brought the event back last year and it proved to be a wonderful method of fundraising."Information: Door County Maritime Museum, 120 N. Madison Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235; or, (920) 743-5958, fax (920) 9483; or www.dcmm.org.This year's performance, "The Carpenter," took visitors back to the town of Mystic on Christmas Eve 1876. People from far and near traveled to the small village with the townspeople talking of the events that led up to that night; local financier and politician Harold King's referendum which required everyone to vote; the current political and economic hardships; the arrival of three lawyers from Orient Point; the birth of baby John to Elizabeth; and Joseph and Virginia's travails as they arrived in town just in time for the birth of their son.Information: Mystic Seaport, 75 Greenmanville Avenue, Mystic, CT 06355-0990, or, PO Box 6000; or, (860) 572-0711; or, www.mysticseaport.org.

Information: Door County Maritime Museum, 120 N. Madison Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235; or, (920) 743-5958, fax (920) 9483; or www.dcmm.org.

Where to Buy Your Xmas Lights

There are a few options when it comes to buying your Xmas lights. Some places are much better than others however. If you want to find out where you should buy your Xmas lights to ensure you get the best choice and the best deals available, you should read on. Learn what to look out for when it comes to buying lights and how to make sure you get just what you need.

There is no doubt that buying your Xmas lights online is the best solution. For greater choice and better value your Christmas tree lights, led Christmas lights or just straight forward fairy lights should always be bought from a reputable and professional online seller. You will then be pleased you don't have to battle the crowds for your lights.The shops are always heaving around Christmas time, so shopping online with delivery to your door saves you time and a lot of stress. There is enough to do at this time of year without fighting the crowds to buy lights. Instead you can order online and have your delivery on your doorstep just a day or two later. Easy, quick and hassle free.When you don't know exactly the type of light you want, an online shop can be much more helpful to gain inspiration and ideas than a high street shop. Each item you look at comes with easy to read and clear information. There are also several pictures to look at too, each one with the lights "in situ" and switched on. This doesn't happen in high street stores and you end up having to scour the small print on the boxes, looking to see what type of batteries you need or whether spare bulbs are included. It is very difficult to gain inspiration in a normal shop where the lights are simply enclosed in boxes, piled high on the stand.The other difficulty with high street shops is that they only have a certain amount of room. This means the stock they can carry is limited. There are no longer many high street shops that just sell lights, so you can be sure that wherever you visit, the choice is going to be limited. This is not so with an online store. There is no problem with carrying stock. You are always going to find more choice when it comes to Xmas lights online as you can buy from shops that specialise in lights. Buying from a virtual shop where they only sell lights, rather than those that also stock lights, means greater choice and more knowledgeable staff too. If you have a very specific or technical question related to lights, you are going to find the staff at a specialist store much more able to help you than a high street store where lights are just one of many things on offer.

There is no doubt that buying your Xmas lights online is the best solution. For greater choice and better value your Christmas tree lights, led Christmas lights or just straight forward fairy lights should always be bought from a reputable and professional online seller. You will then be pleased you don't have to battle the crowds for your lights.

Ideas for Outdoor Christmas Lights

There are some great things you can do with outdoor Christmas lights. From the garish to the subdued you can easily turn your home into an inviting and exciting Christmas wonderland. There are some great ideas contained here in this article so if you really want to make the most out of the festive season then you have found the right article. Read on to find out all the tips and tricks you need to make an outdoor light display that will never be forgotten.

If you would prefer a more subdued approach then there are lots of options available. A very simply lighting effect that creates a beautiful atmosphere can be some lights in one or two trees. White or plain lights in trees can look very stylish indeed, but coloured lights can look just as good. Red, green and blue lights dotted around a few trees can look magical and really help bring that bit of Christmas spirit into the home. Red and green lights are the colours for Christmas and these are set off beautifully next to some blue. You can either create displays such as this at the front of the house so your neighbours and those in the community can see them and enjoy them, or you can place them in trees in the back garden. Having a private grotto outside can be magical around this time of year.Having lights up outside brings the magic of Christmas into the home which is especially important when there are young children around. They will love it and you will ensure your Christmas is not forgotten. You can search online for further lighting ideas or in magazines too where there are always plenty of suggestions in the run up to Christmas. Christmas lighting can be gaudy and fun or it can be soft and subdued. You can use led lights to save on electricity costs and coloured fairy lights can be strung up everywhere. Blue fairy lights, white fairy lights, singing lights even, have some fun with your lighting at Christmas time.There are lots of inventive ways you can create a lovely lighting effect in and around your home during the Christmas holidays. If you decide to put some lights up outside make sure you buy specialist outdoor lights. Indoor lights are not designed to come up against wind and rain so using this outdoors can be dangerous and the lights are likely to break very quickly. It is also advisable to seek the expertise of an electrician when putting up outdoor lighting displays so you can do it safely and so you can ensure there will be no problems with the lights.

Having lights up outside brings the magic of Christmas into the home which is especially important when there are young children around. They will love it and you will ensure your Christmas is not forgotten. You can search online for further lighting ideas or in magazines too where there are always plenty of suggestions in the run up to Christmas. Christmas lighting can be gaudy and fun or it can be soft and subdued. You can use led lights to save on electricity costs and coloured fairy lights can be strung up everywhere. Blue fairy lights, white fairy lights, singing lights even, have some fun with your lighting at Christmas time.

Author: Kathryn Dawson

To the test

Pop-up Christmas Tree, pounds 44.99 (www.lakeland.

co.uk, 01539 488100) AN instant 128cm space-saving tree with 80 LEDs powered by batteries. Lights, baubles and ribbons attached. Easy to put together with two poles which the tree h a n g s f r o m. I t reaches the floor and is bushy with no gaps. 8 10 Traditional Christmas tree, pounds 29.99 (www.focus diy.co.uk, 0800 436 436) EVERYTHING comes in the box except a tree topper. With 60 clear mains lights and 60 red, gold, green decorations you have put on yourself. The 180cm tree looks a bit tatty but the bright green colour gives it a modern look.Sidesmen were Mr David Utasi and Mrs Gwen Lodge.

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Author: ANGELA MACFARLANE

Joy to the earth: celebrate the holidays in an eco-friendly way with these three tips from the new book by Anna Getty, I'm dreaming of a green Christmas

1 Burn a better fire Java Logs ($32 for 6; amazon .com) are made entirely from coffee grounds (keeping them from filling up landfills) and emit up to 78 percent less global warming-causing carbon monoxide than old-fashioned wood.

2 Switch your lights A strand of LEDs ($25; holidayleds.com) uses 90 percent less electricity than typical twinklers, which means your home can look festive without a sky-high utility bill. Plus, if one bulb goes out, the rest of them stay lit.

3 Buy a potted pine You'll be able to plant it in your yard or donate it to a local park instead of trashing it (as you would with a cut tree). If you can't give up your traditional fir, go to earth911.org at the end of the season to find a recycling program near you that will accept Christmas trees.

Author: Anna Getty

Carols victim of ice and gas; Kirkburton

THE traditional Community Christmas Carol Service planned at All Hallows Church Kirkburton received a double blow this year.

It was announced that during the month of January there will be no evening service in All Hallows.Mr Tibbott again greeted worshippers when they arrived for the service of Sung Eucharist on the First Sunday after Christmas.The service, which was conducted in the chancel of the church, was led by the Rev Graham Whitcroft and reader, Mrs Janet Roberts was preacher.The service had to be cancelled for the first time in many years due to the heavy snowfall and the disruption of traffic in the middle of Kirkburton due to a gas leak.5 10 Plum Pop Up Christmas Tree, pounds 34.98, B&Q (www.diy.com, 0845 850 0175) HAS 60 decorations already attached but 60 lights have to be placed on the 183cm tree after assembly. Push-in stand and poles make the tree hang like a skirt. Long hanging decorations looked a bit silly on such a skinny tree and some came off easily. Spiral branches had a few gaps and there is no tree topper. Lovely colour. 7 10 Pre-lit tree, pounds 52.49 (www.homebase.co.uk, 0845 077 8888) THE 2 0 0 l i g h t s a l r e a d y o n t h i s 180cm tree made it hard to position the branches and stand has to be bolted. Slim bushy tree is good quality and has unusual velvet b o w s glitter presents and felt shapes. 7 10 Inspire pre-lit tree, pounds 119.99 (www.argos. co.uk, 0845 640 2020) EASY push-in stand, 200 untangled, wellplaced lights already on black 195cm tree. Pink, purple and black decorations - some transparent - don't stand out. Some look too big for the tree and the ribbons are a bit useless.3 Buy a potted pine You'll be able to plant it in your yard or donate it to a local park instead of trashing it (as you would with a cut tree). If you can't give up your traditional fir, go to earth911.org at the end of the season to find a recycling program near you that will accept Christmas trees.She took for her theme Christ's Light in the World. Pastoral minister Mrs Betty Cross read the prayers, churchwarden Mr John Keighley gave the reading from St John and Mrs Roberts read from the Gospel according to St John. Mrs Berry and Mrs Roberts assisted at the distribution.

Pastoral minister, Mr Malcolm Tibbott, welcomed worshippers to the service of Sung Eucharist. It was led by the Rev Graham Whitcroft who took for his theme Christ's Moral, Social and Economic Revolution. Prayers were read by Mrs Janet Roberts who also gave the readings from Micah and the Gospel according to St Luke. Mr Tibbott and Mrs Hilary Berry assisted at the distribution. Sidesmen were Mrs Joy Elston and Mrs Pauline Pinder and Mrs Doreen Barraclough was organist. After the service, worshippers were served with coffee by Mrs Margaret Haigh, Mrs Edith Brookes and Mrs Mavis Maloney.