Greenwich Christmas Lights
Deck the Halls
7 December 2011
Christmas arrived in Greenwich last week when the local children's lantern parade set off for Greenwich Market and the switching on of the Christmas lights by the panto cast from Greenwich Theatre and a special CBeebies star guest.
Local schoolchildren made the lanterns themselves, in workshops with children's art specialists and all round good guys Arty Party, and gathered outside Discover Greenwich in the chilly pre-dusk last Wednesday afternoon, ready for the off.
Then, led off by some splendid stampy crashing, drum and glockenspiel from the Sea Cadet band, the illuminated parade headed off through the Old Royal Naval College and snaked out of the main gates into the early evening commuter traffic, which was grumpily held up at the pass by friendly Greenwich police.
The bobbing lanterns, accompanied by mums and dads, stewards and more friendly police officers, turned round through the town centre and headed into Greenwich Market, already packed with more mums and dads, surprised shoppers, curious dogs and buggies. Millions and millions of buggies. There were buggies everywhere - I began to wonder if you were allowed in without one.
More and more little lantern bearers gradually moved in until it looked as if no one else could fit but, after an appeal from the makeshift stage, the buggies and their owners reluctantly gave ground and everybody found a place. A man in a Santa hat came on stage and introduced the star guest - CBeebies Sarah-Jane Honeywell, known to children all over the nation but not, sadly, to me.
She was brilliant though, as were the cast of Aladdin, from Greenwich Theatre, who joined her in the lead-up to switching on the Christmas lights which, after a tense and noisy countdown, sprung into electric life, sparkling and shining festively.
The lantern-bearers gradually slipped away now, as the buggies formed an inpenetratable barrier of solid metal, glittering and flashing in the seasonal illuminations, as they patiently queued to see Santa.
The Market stayed open with Santa and carollers keeping browsers happy until 7.00pm. We all had a very nice time. Greenwich Market, by the way, is open every day until Christmas, if you'd like to come and see just how festive it feels. Fa la la la la.
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With The O2, Greenwich Theatre, Greenwich Dance, Up the Creek, Blackheath Halls, Olivers Music Bar and a stack of free concerts in St Alfege church, Greenwich is one of London's entertainment hotspots. Check our Events Calendar for details of every performance including when, where and what it'll cost.