It may not have the bells and whistles of an Oxford Street or Rockefeller Center but North Berwick’s Christmas lights between the jigs and reels are a festive delight.
Our sleepy little town on the east coast of Scotland suddenly burst into sound this weekend for the illuminations.
With community groups and singers getting the party going with Christmas songs.
And the pipers belting out a rendition of Jingle Bells.
As they marched down the main street, or the Olden Mile as I like to call it.
It turns out that we were a day early as today is the official National Christmas Lights Day.
No us neither but it harks back to a pal of Thomas Alva Edison’s. who it’s safe to say knew his lights, in the late 1800s.
Let there be light
Twas Edward H. Johnson who handwired his lights together.
To get round the safety issues of flamed candles.
It helped too that Edward H had a supporter in the most important man in the land, US President Grover Cleveland.
Who you’ll remember we, and the rest of the world, got talking about as the last prez to win non-consecutive terms.
Now we dare say that The Donald will be putting on quite the light show at his Mar-A-Lago estate in Florida.
Maybe inspired by his native New York where ‘He’ has kept his patch even outside his own term.
And you can also go full New Yoiker and skate on the Rockefeller ice rink.
As your Bandanaman and Daddy’s Little Girl did.
Get your skates on
Escaping the labours of sifting and lifting through stuff in your attic and garage for Crimbo lights, trees and decorations has become a thing.
So take note when you are away on a mid-winter city trip for what Christmas festivities they have in store.
As we did on our romantic weekend in Amsterdam, staying at George and Amal’s favourite Dutch hotel, the Dylan, where else?
And learned how they make a benefit of their canals to light up the city.
While if you’re really lucky it might ice up for skating.
Now wherever you are in the world from Edinburgh to Sydney, Dublin to Rio.
Enjoy the Christmas lights between the jigs and the reels.
