A Christmas Glow-up

Sara Whatley and her family love the magic of Christmas lights – from the big organised light trails to the twinkles much closer to home 

Christmas light displays have always been a joyful and welcome beacon of cheer in the depth of winter. There is nothing more lovely than dressing in your winter woollies and venturing out into the cold and dark to explore the magical world of illuminations. 

Every year individuals and communities across the Island put up fantastic Christmas light displays, many of which raise money for charities. Visit the Facebook page ‘Isle light up Wight’ for listings of all the fabulous displays.

There are also light up events across the Island and many venues are filled with beautifully lit and decorated Christmas trees which are free to visit – although donations are happily received to give to good causes. 

You can find brilliant Christmas lights and decoration displays at garden centres and on your local high streets too. They often create magical Christmas worlds which are lovely for families to visit and gives the opportunity to top up on your own decorations at home. 

Another great option for appreciating Christmas lights is simply to take an evening walk through your local neighbourhood – there are often some spectacular home displays of Christmas lights. Or you could take a drive out after dark and venture further afield if you know certain areas have especially good light displays. Neighbours often tend to follow suit when it comes to outdoor Christmas decorations – so you might be lucky and find a whole row of glowing displays to marvel at. 

Back home you can finish off the evening with some hot chocolate topped with marshmallows while you play some Christmas tunes to get into the Christmas spirit. And don’t forget – your favourite lights of the season might be even closer to home – in fact in your own living room! 

The gentle and warming glow of Christmas tree lights hold a certain magic of their own and sometimes the most comforting thing to do is to simply sit and bathe in the radiant glow of the tree and let the spirit of Christmas wash over you. I like to do this with all the other lights off and then snuggle up in front of a festive film. 

Make sure you take time this Christmas to immerse yourself in illuminations and enjoy the glow up of the festive season.