Festivals

There's some early Christmas magic in South Gloucestershire as Father Christmas comes to The Mall at Cribbs Causeway to switch on the festive lights and launch The Mall’s Winter Wonderland. 

Father Christmas will pull up outside the main entrance at 6pm in a sleigh pulled by six real reindeer and there will be a radio roadshow from 5.30pm.

After the switching-on ceremony, you can stroke the reindeer, visit Father Christmas in his Castle or take a spin on the shopping centre's seasonal outdoor ice rink and of course shop - stores at The Mall will stay until 10pm every weekday from Monday, 12 November until the big day.

Mamma Mia writer Catherine Johnson turns on the lights in Thornbury at 7pm.

Bristol's lights will be switched on at 6pm. They include features in Broadmead, The Centre Promenade, Park Street and College Green. There will be no official switching on ceremony.

Lights turned on in Kingswood, Staple Hill and Downend. Lighting up ceremony at 5.30pm in Kingswood.

To kick off the festive season at St Nicholas Market in Bristol, a display of traditional lights will be switched on by Levi Roots of Reggae Reggae Sauce and the BBC's Dragon's Den fame. The lights will illuminate the historic architecture, whilst bringing the festive spirit to traders and shoppers.

Wandering amongst the shoppers will be Santa and The Ice Angel providing a larger than life experience. The lights will be switched on from the Glass Arcade at 4pm.

The Christmas tree lights will be switched on at 5pm in the Italian Gardens next to the Sovereign Centre in Weston-super-Mare this evening. Weston Hospice will have a Tree of Life stand where people can remember a loved one in a Book of Remembrance and make a donation to the hospice. Dedications can be made online at www.westonhospicecare.org.uk/treeoflight where it is also possible to view the Book of Remembrance. 

The Christmas lights and fireworks in Portishead will be turned on at 6.30pm by local resident and Countdown star Carol Vorderman.

The High Street will be closed from 6-7pm for the ceremony outside the Somerset Hall, and Father Christmas will also be there to meet local youngsters, along with the town's carnival royalty.

Each year between 300-400 letters to Santa are received by the Christmas lights committee, who endeavour to reply to each one.

A 'tree of life' on the roof of the public hall will give local people a chance to donate money to the Christmas lights in memory of someone they've lost, and this year one of the biggest and oldest trees in Portishead, near the Scout building in South Avenue, will also be illuminated for the first time.

Lights will also be turned on at Nailsea High Street and town centre at the end of November. Dates are still to be confirmed. Watch out for more details here.

This year's Bath Christmas Lights switch-on takes place at 6pm. The date heralds the official start of late-night shopping in the city and is also the first evening of Bath's popular, annual Christmas Market.

The ceremony will take place on the outside terrace of the Roman Baths which overlooks the Market site at Kingston Parade. As well as numerous stalls selling a variety of unique, quality merchandise there will be street entertainment and a Victorian Carousel outside the Pump Room on Stall Street.

Each year the area between Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths is transformed into a shopper’s haven. More than 120 traditional wooden chalets adorn the streets, offering unique, handmade and unusual gifts, decorations and food items, along with street entertainers, music and demonstrations. The market runs until Sunday, 9 December 2007.

The lights will be switched on during the annual Keynsham Victorian Evening. The event will start at 6.15pm with a procession along the High Street. The procession will include Keynsham children who have made snowflakes at earlier workshops, Totally Maracas and Keynsham Cavaliers and will be led by Father Christmas in his sleigh, pulled by two reindeer.

The lights are switched on at Bristol Zoo on 1 December when there's free entry for one child between 9am and 12pm with one full paying adult and a homemade decoration for the zoo's giant Christmas tree. Santa opens his grotto at 11am and switches on the zoo's lights at dusk.

There's also an outdoor ice skating rink at the zoo this year for the first time. Open from 16 November 2007 - 13 January 2008 you can book on 08714 720418 (booking fees apply) or at the zoo entrance.

Special ice skating sessions for toddlers (children under six) take place every day at 10am with places limited to give the little ones more room and music themed for toddler appeal.

For children with feet smaller than size nine there are even special bob-skates that are like old fashioned strap-on roller skates. They fit over the child's shoe and fasten above it. They also have twin blades to aid balance.

Lights go on at Yatton this evening. Yatton Library is hosting thememed stalls selling refreshments and Yatton Signers and Yatton Bell Ringers will be performing carols from 3-5pm. The switch on is at 5.30pm and look out for a familiar figure dressed in red!

The lights will turned on in Midsomer Norton at 6pm in Hollies Gardens. A children’s lantern competition will follow at 6.15pm, followed by a live nativity play. Stalls, choirs, bands and a street entertainer will be present along the High Street throughout.

Congresbury Brass Band will be playing to shoppers in Clevedon's Queen's Square from 10.30am this morning with the turning on of the festive lights at 11am.