CHRISTMAS shopping has begun and traders in Crediton are hoping everyone will shop locally this year.

The town is already beginning to look festive with the giant tree already in position in the Town Square and many of the trees and stars on shop and business fronts and cross-street Christmas decorations already in place thanks to the Christmas in Crediton committee and lots of hardworking volunteers.

LIGHTS SWITCH-ON

The committee’s plans for the annual Christmas Lights Switch-On event on Saturday, November 23 are almost completed.

WEAR A MASK

This year the theme is “Maskerade” and the committee is encouraging everyone, young and old, to wear a mask for the Masked Parade.

Entertainment will start in the Town Square at 3pm with choirs from local primary schools and music and dance from local groups.

The ever-popular land train will return to give rides up and down the High Street.

Children, mums and dads, and the whole family is invited to make, create, decorate and take along a mask to wear in the Masked Parade.

It can be any kind of mask imaginable. Children can enter the Mask Competition, which will take place promptly at 4pm in Crediton Methodist Church.

Children can dress up as well, but only the masks will be judged. Prizes have been donated by Crediton Tesco.

Children who have not made a mask before the day can make one on the Town Square between 3pm and 4.30pm.

TEMPLATE

Paper plates and a template to make your own mask before the event are available from the Town Council offices in North Street, between 10am and 2pm, Monday to Friday.

Market Street is the assembly point for the Masked Parade down Market Street at about 4.45pm on November 23, arriving in the Town Square for the Lights Switch-On of the lights on the big tree at 5pm.

The fun will continue in the Town Square until 6.30pm, along with the train rides.

This year, as last year, there will not be a High Street road closure, the event centred around the Town Square.

Roads in the area, including North Street, Market Street and others, will be closed during the afternoon and until after the event ends. There will also be a parking suspension in the immediate area.

LIONS

Members of the Lions Club of Crediton will be assisting at the children’s mask competition and also helping with road closures.

Illuminations in the High Street are kindly being put up by members of the Rotary Club of Crediton Boniface.

The trees, stars and decorations as well as those at St Lawrence Green are part of the Christmas in Crediton committee plans to brighten up the town for the festive season, making it a special time for the people of the town and to encourage everyone to shop locally.

Thousands of people attended last year’s Lights Switch-On and took part in the countdown before the lights went on.

• The next Christmas in Crediton feature will run in the “Crediton Courier” on November 29.