IT WASN’T the spectacular ceremony we’d experienced in years gone by, but Reading is looking pretty for Christmas.
On Saturday, the festive lights were switched on for the first time, and they will now twinkle and sparkle in the run-up to December 25.
While there were no big ceremonies at The Oracle or Broad Street Mall, due to covid, there were still some celebrations across the town centre.
Reading’s steel band, RASPO, led the music from 1pm, and a festive market is now in situ across Broad Street.
It includes hot roasted chestnuts, a German swing grill, a licensed bar and the Personalise Christmas Cabin, who showed their flair by creating a special Reading Today stocking, which we hope Santa will fill with goodies on Christmas Eve.
There are more than 400,000 lights across the town, and it is just one of many attractions in the run-up to Christmas.
Broad Street Mall has a Post Office for Santa, the Twilight Trail launched next weekend in Forbury Gardens, and festive shows in the form of Beauty and the Beast and The Snow Queen will be at The Hexagon and South Street Arts Centre.
For more details, log on to livingreading.co.uk
