SUMMERTOWN ushered in the Christmas period with a festive celebration.

The area’s Christmas lights were switched on in Banbury Road on Friday following performances by choirs and bands from local schools. And to help bring in the festive spirit mince pies and hot chocolate were provided by local branches of the Co-op and Starbucks.

Cutteslowe resident Jessica Braschi, who took her son Luca along, said: “It was a nice evening and the children gave a great cheer as the tree lights came on.”

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  • Luca Braschi, five, and mum Jessica

A choir from Cutteslowe Primary School sang festive tunes while a brass band from Oxfordshire County Council’s music service and St Edward’s School’s brass band provided music to make the celebrations go with a swing.

CHILDREN at Rose Hill Primary School in Oxford got the opportunity to meet Father Christmas at an festive fair.

The after-school event took place on Friday and featured a name the teddy competition, raffle cake sale and decorations made by nursery children.

But the main event was a chance for the children to meet and get a present from Father Christmas himself. About 200 people attended and helped raise more than £450 for the school’s new Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).

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  • Rose Hill Primary School’s Santa with sisters Katie, four, Lilly, seven, and Amy Dallimore, three

PTA organiser and teaching assistant Alison Nicholl said: “The children absolutely loved it, and the event itself went very well.

“We organised it to bring the community together and also to raise extra money for the school.”

Meanwhile, youngsters from Rose Hill Junior Youth Club in Oxford helped out at a Christmas lights and activities party.

More than 400 people from the estate attended the party at Rose Hill Community Centre in The Oval on Saturday.

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  • Ali Hall, Leah Carron, 10, Ella Norland, eight, and Hubert Brunszkiewicz, 11, at Rose Hill Junior Youth Club

About 80 children aged six to 11 attend the youth club twice a week and they made themselves useful at the party, handing out food and drinks and clearing up afterwards.

Youth club volunteer Ali Hall, 29, from Cowley, said: “It was a fantastic event.

“Children from the youth club were like little elves and spent the evening helping out.”

HUNDREDS of people gathered together to celebrate the season at a Christmas extravaganza in Barton.

The Barton Christmas Wonderland featured a panto performance of Aladdin, Britain’s Got Talent finalists Gay and Alan and carol performances.

There were also children’s games provided by Thames Valley Police and Ruskin College, a grand Christmas raffle and tombola.

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  • Alice Surman, 12, and sister Miley, four

The party took place at Barton Neighbourhood Centre in Underhill Circus on Sunday.

About 500 people attended the event, which was in its third year and began as just a Santa’s grotto attended by 200 people and organised by Barton Job Club.

Job club manager Rob Shepherd said: “It was a great evening for all of the community.”

Excited Miley Surman, four, loved the event. She said: I had a brilliant time, it was fantastic.”
Mum Jennie, 37, said: “It’s good that they put the event on, it’s really well done.”

In Witney, four-year-old Daisy Drake got into the Christmas spirit when she visited reindeer outside the Woolgate shopping centre.

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  • Daisy and the reindeer

Daisy met the reindeer with her nanny, Abbi Harris last Tuesday.

Daisy, from Curbridge and who attends Farmhouse Nursery School in Witney, said: “It was great and I am really looking forward to Christmas.”