We hope you all enjoy the photographs of this year’s Christmas lights which add a touch of magic to the town for the festive season. Many thanks to photographer Tom Watt for his excellent photographs which capture the magic, we use the photographs to promote the town and also to help with our fundraising efforts throughout the year.   Many thanks again Tom.

The Helensburgh Elves are really pleased with the display this year and thank you to all those who have passed on their appreciation for the work and a big thank you to everyone who has donated so far to this year’s funding appeal. There is now a donation box next to the Christmas tree and all donations are really welcome.

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who helped to create the bring the magic alive again on the 18^th December when Santa switched on the town’s lights for another year,  the elves were delighted to see the huge crowd gather to launch the “Christmas Town” that the lights create for seven weeks.  It was a wonderful day of community involvement, Donna Hicks and James McCracken, two very talented and enthusiastic elves, welcomed the real stars of the day, over four  hundred local entertainers, who took to the stage to give the crowd music and dance that was a credit to them and their leaders. Hermitage Primary School Choir filled the stage first followed by LCI Dance Centre, Ian McLeod Theatre School, Lomond and Clyde Community Orchestra, Helensburgh Junior Strings and Bethesda Christian Fellowship joined with the Baptist Church and Hope Church to round off the impressive programme with jolly carol singing just in time for the arrival of Santa on his special fire engine.  Wow, what a talented community we have and thanks to everyone for bringing the true spirit of Christmas to our event and giving up your time to add so much to the Switch On.  You were just brilliant and the smiles on the stage gave everyone a lift.

Santa was welcomed to the stage by a host of “characters” all provided by local youngsters who then presented their very own Helensburgh cabaret which would give “Strictly”  reason to be envious. You are just fantastic, thank you so much for your contribution. The crowd joined in with all the fun and counted down to the lighting up of the square and the magnificent tree before heading to the rides and the food stalls to enjoy the fun of the day.

The Helensburgh Elves, Kenny McGrath, Davi Stewart, Paul Jack, Vivien and Tony Dance and this year’s new recruits, Gordon Turnbull and Tom Peters, can only ensure that the lights and the very special Switch On event go ahead year after year with the help of local people, some local businesses and officers of Argyll and Bute Council. The Christmas tree donated by Luss Estates was installed by M&T Builders Merchants, West Coast Cutters and James Daly & Son and  is now shining bright with an investment of £6000 in new lights this year, with the “old” lights from the tree now sparkling on the sixteen trees in the square and these trees will remain lit until the end of March.

The much loved crib has been repaired this year with a new roof and joinery repairs all enhanced by a new viewing window so this year the nativity scene will be at least have dry hay around it and many thanks to Helensburgh Pet Shop for their donation to this work and to our Council partners for their help in transporting the crib back to its usual spot. The crib forms a very special  centrepiece for many people and we hope that the repairs will help it to survive many more Christmas displays.

Santa is well pleased with Helensburgh’s Christmas lights this year, another triumph for his volunteer elves, and he is sure that the festive lights will bring lots of people to Helensburgh to enjoy the spectacle and shop in our lovely town. The Elves would like to thank Helensburgh businesses for their support once again this year and a special thank you to Bethesda church for their most generous donation and friendship. Thanks to every one of them who makes sure Helensburgh’s Christmas lights are here again, it is a pleasure to work with so many good people, friends and donors, enjoy the lights and a very Happy Christmas to you all.