Christmas celebrations in Finchingfield

The Finchingfield village pond was temporarily drained on Saturday and the Christmas tree hoisted into place ready for the annual switch on.

Around 20 people helped to put it up, and the pond took six hours to empty, it was refilled overnight.

The tree lights will be turned on at 6pm by youngster Charlie, who goes to Finchingfield Primary, and won the honour as a prize for coming first in a competition last year.

He was meant to turn on the lights last year, but there was a technical issue, geese had chewed through the cables so they did not come on when he pressed the button, so he can have another go this year.

There will also be carols to go along with the ceremony.

Money for the tree and lights was donated by The Fox Pub in the village, and other individuals in the community.

Roy Cox, part of the Erection Crew (and pictured at the top of the tree) said: “It’s a nice thing to have in the village I think, because we have our traditions we can call it a community tree. Because it’s all done by amateurs it’s a lot of laughs and a lot of mess, but it becomes a really community based thing to have, and so it becomes our tree.”

Meanwhile Christmas had already begun in Finchingfield Guildhall with a Victorian themed fair on Saturday and Sunday, November 26 and 27.

Charles Dickens, Sweeny Todd, Father Christmas, and around 200 people came along to enjoy live music from the band Salmagundi, who played traditional festive songs.

Homemade cakes and bread, soup, and baked potatoes were also on offer, and all the money that was raised will go towards the upkeep of Guildhall.

Kiki Wood, manager of the Guildhall, said: “Right at the end of the night, we had all the lights low so they were twinkling, and the band played traditional carols that everyone know. It was really magical.”