RESIDENTS across the coun- ty are getting switched-on to Christmas as the festive lights season takes off.

Kidlington joins the party on Tuesday when the village High Street will be lit up by two schoolchildren at 7pm.

Visitors will be able to buy Christmas gifts and festive food from a selection of stalls.

The event comes a month after the village’s fireworks display was cancelled because heavy rain made the ground at Stratfield Brake too slippery.

Parish council chairman Maurice Billington said the switch-on night would be a great opportunity to support local causes, after the cancellation of the fireworks display prevented the village raising funds.

He said: “The money raised would have helped towards different projects, but obviously we had to think about health and safety first. The lorries carrying the fireworks were churning up the grass and that caused a lot of trouble.

“But the Christmas lights are always chock-a-block and people really enjoy it. I hope the weather will be good this year.

“It is nice to get the villagers together and it’s great for the young people who love Christmas.”

In Witney, town mayor Jim King will be joined by Father Christmas himself to turn on the lights in Market Square tonight.

The switch-on takes place at 6.30pm. A Santa sleigh and funfair can be enjoyed from 5.30pm until 8pm.

As usual, Banbury’s Christmas lights will have a celebrity flavour with a visit from former X-Factor winner Sam Bailey on Sunday.

Ms Bailey, who won the reality television show in 2013, will provide the backdrop to the festivities by performing some of her greatest hits outside the Town Hall in Bridge Street.

She will be joined on stage by Beyoncé tribute act Victoria, Banbury’s rock choir and local band The Next Hot Thing.

Also turning on their lights this week will be Abingdon which will have a day-long extravaganza tomorrow from 10am. Bath Street and Market Place will feature donkeys and Punch and Judy, with the main switch-on from 5.30pm.

Blackbird Leys joins the fun next Wednesday from 6pm, while Bicester celebrates on Friday, December 4, from 7pm, and a Dickensian evening will bring in the festive period in Wantage the same day.