HOME & GARDEN

Delapré Abbey will host an illuminated woodland trail from Nnovember 17 to January 2

Illuminating times

Stony Stratford

The town will be bathed in light with the return of the traditional parade of handmade lanterns travelling from York House to Market Square via the High Street , which this year takes place on November 26. The theme for the event – the first time it has been held since 2019 – is Monster Christmas, which encompasses cartoon monsters, monsters from film and TV, classic monsters, mythical monsters or indeed any other that you can create – let your imaginations run wild!

Please leave Rover at home – the streets can get very congested, and it will prove stressful for pooch, and for you too.

You might choose to make your lantern at York House (with sessions happening on November 12 &13, and 19 & 20) or purchase a kit so that you can get creative in your own home.

The CLASS (Christmas Lights at Stony Stratford) Committee have organised the Switch-On Fun Day.

At 10.30am, a Stony Stratford Story Stroll will wander around the town with Red Phoenix, and children will be able to try their hand at juggling, unicycling, tight-rope walking and other skills in the company of Concrete Circus. Funfair rides will be tempting you on the High Street and in Market Square, together with the many other stalls.

Add in food and drink, and Watlingfest, bringing music to the Market Square between 11.30am and 4.20pm with a good mix of genres ready to go live, and you’ve got the perfect lead up to the big switch-on.

Check in at stonylights.org for the latest updates.

Candlelit Tours

Ok, so this isn’t a light switch-on, but Northampton’s Delapré Abbey will be glowing by candlelight, as you’ll see if you book your space on one of the special out-of-hours tours.

You’ll learn more about the Abbey’s history and its people while also getting to explore some of the many nooks and crannies of this most special building.

Tours will run on December 1, 7, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 21 and 22.

Get more details at delapreabbey.org

Stony Stratford takes on a carnival atmosphere with its parade of handmade lanterns

Winter Light Trail

Enjoy a breathtaking, illuminated woodland trail with an array of magical light installations with a new trail experience spanning more than a mile and quarter of stunning woodland, walled garden and grounds of Delapré Abbey.

The perfect way to light up your life, and there’s plenty of time to enjoy it – the trail will run every Wednesday to Sunday (4pm8.40pm) from November 17 to January 2.

Independent food vendors, an Aprés Ski bar and children’s funfair will also feature.

To book, visit delapreabbey.org

Historic Northampton comes alive with the switching on of the Christmas lights

Northampton Christmas lights

The switch will be flicked on November 26 at the annual event in the Market Square, and the festivities will continue across town, with businesses being encouraged to get creative with festive themes window displays, all coming under the theme of Mischievous Elves – dozens of elves are expected to pop up in shop windows. And, while not Christmas lights related, we have to mention the 24-hour Christmas radio station which goes live for the start of advent and will pump out seasonal delight at the University of Northampton, the Grosvenor Shopping and at town centre businesses.

centre:mk

If you want to attend centre:mk’s switch on, the date for the diary is Friday, November 18 – which is also the opening night of its Santa’s Grotto.

Beginning in City Square at 4.30pm there will be entertainment and guest appearances from the cast of MK Theatre’s panto Snow White who will be coming along to help with the festivities, while everyone awaits the arrival of Santa.

When he arrives, the parade will begin – travelling the length of the centre to his grotto in Middleton Hall.

Just one question: As Santa and the cast of Snow White will travel together, will they go off to work with a hi-ho-hi-ho or a ho-ho-ho?!

Wolverton Lantern Festival

This isn’t a light switch-on either... but it will be a glorious parade of light when the Lantern Festival makes its return in 2022 after an enforced absence of two years on Saturday, December 3.

Food and drink vendors will be serving up good things from 2pm, live music will sound out from Foundation House and if you fancy picking up new tricks, Kester the Jester will be hosting free circus skill workshops between 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

The MK Community Choir and Wolverton Town Band will also be showing out on the day.

The parade will begin from The Square at 4.30pm, and this year’s theme is minibeasts, perhaps giving a nod to many of our delicate species that are essential, but under threat.

Hopefully that will inspire young minds to support our beasties and bugs, and it will certainly make for an array of wonderful lanterns.

Of course if you want to take part in the parade, you’ll need a lantern and kits will go on sale in local outlets (Mrs B’s Emporium, Maisies and at the MK Christian Foundation) from the end of October for £4. Alternatively, step up for one of the public-making workshops happening at The Old Bath House on November 6, 13 and 27 between 2pm and 5pm. No need to pre-book.

Get more by visiting FB @wolvertonlanternfestival and tell them we sent you.

The big switch on at centre:mk coincides with the arrival of Santa on November 18

Newport Pagnell Christmas Lights

Newport Pagnell Christmas lights have been bathing in the town in a festive glow annually since 1960, when Early Beatty of Chicheley gave the command for that inaugural switch-on.

Today, the event is a chance to bring the community together with a day of stalls and fun ahead of the switch-on, which this year is taking place on Saturday, November 26.

Tree-mendous times

If a real tree is set to be a focus of your family Christmas in 2022, you won’t do better then choosing it straight from the field at Stoke Goldington Christmas Trees who have the perfect tree to ‘spruce’ up your abode, just waiting for you to discover it!

You’ll stroll the field of plenty and choose your very own, British farm-grown tree which the team at Stoke Goldington Christmas Trees will cut down for you.

And there’s no need to stress about getting it back to the car – the team promise they have plenty of helpful elves on hand to help take the tree back to the farmyard where it will be netted, helping getting it into your car a breeze!

Refreshments will also be served by Really Awesome Coffee (Saturday) and Good Times Cafe (Sunday) and if you are wondering where to get your holly and mistletoe from, there are plenty of both of those for sale too, together with tree stands, logs and kindling.

The farm also makes its own range of The Fruity Farmer fruit gins, liqueurs and rapeseed oils which will be available for purchase. They make ideal stocking fillers, secret Santa opportunities, or buy for yourself – because you deserve it!

Visits to the farm begin on Saturday, November 19 and run for the five weekends before Christmas, on Saturdays and Sundays, with two Friday openings, 9am-4pm.

There is no need to pre-book.

To check the full list of dates visit stokegoldingtonchristmastrees.co.uk

Stoke Goldington Christmas Trees offer you the chance to choose your tree straight from the plantation

Wolverton Winter Fair

The old railway town will host its Winter Fair on the weekend of December 10 & 11 in The Square, with stall-holders selling their goods out of festive alpine huts. Entertainers and food vendors will add more flavour to the traditional shopping opportunity.

Made in Stony

Get your Christmas gifts, cards and confectionery sorted in one fell swoop – with a trip to York House on December 3. Shop there between 10am and 4pm.

Willen Hospice: Care at Christmas

The care at Willen Hospice is important all year-round, but perhaps even more poignant at Christmas time. For many of our patients, this could be their last Christmas. Our teams go above and beyond so families can make those all-important memories that they will cherish forever.

A Willen Hospice Christmas means our Willen at Home team visiting patients on Christmas day so they can spend it at home with their families. It means Christmas dinner served with all the trimmings and a cheery smile to patients and their families at our lakeside In-Patient Unit. Or a friendly voice on the other end of the phone, for those spending their first Christmas without a loved one. We can only do this thanks to your support.

Why our nurses and doctors are the greatest gift of all

Joy Butler, Willen at Home “Working at Christmas is just like any other day for us. We go out to visit the patients that need our care, or we speak to families over the phone to offer advice and support. Caring for patients and their families is the most important thing, no matter what day it is.”

Support Willen Hospice this Christmas

There are many ways you can support us whilst ticking off a few items from your Christmas shopping list. Our shops are bursting with bargains including Christmas party outfits as well as our charity Christmas cards and Lottery Scratchcards* - a fun table favour or stocking filler! And for the person who has everything, a Lottery subscription for our weekly draw is the perfect gift that keeps giving all year round.

Your support can help the team at Willen Hospice provide the patients with the extra care and support they deserve at Christmas

We also have a whole host of festive events to keep you busy over the Christmas period. Celebrate the life of a loved one at our Lights of Love on Saturday 3rd December at The Ridgeway Centre, enchant the children with Santa’s Grotto from 16th – 20th December, or get the whole family Santa-suited up for a walk, run or jog around Willen Lake North at our Santa Dash on Sunday 18th December.