CROWDS flocked to see the switch on of the St Teath Village Christmas lights on Sunday, December 4.

The atmosphere built up beforehand with a Christmas market, a chance to get close up to Santa’s reindeer, a pig roast — a first for both the lights evening and for Fleur and Duncan — soup, mulled wine and mince pies as well as carols sung by the choir of St Teath.

Father Christmas switched on the lights. He then spent quite a lot of time talking and giving gifts of oranges to the many children present, some of whom were already prepared to talk to him about their detailed Christmas lists.

Father Christmas stayed with the crowds in order to carry out the traditional switch-on before leaving for further adventures.

Chairman of the lights committee and organisers of the Christmas market Tracy Kitto and Justine Smale were delighted with the numbers who attended and said they would like ‘to pass on a huge thank you’ to the light erection crew, particularly Kerry Carthew — without Kerry’s machinery, nothing would have been possible.

Thanks were also given to the many others who helped to make the event a success either by directing traffic, serving drinks, keeping the lighting crew fed and watered or manning stalls.

Thanks also to those who brought produce and articles for sale plus all the many, many people who turned out to support the event and ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at the lovely Christmas lights.

Finally, the people of St Teath wished everybody a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.