To try and think of an easy way to do village Christmas event?

[Letsgoroundagain101]

I’m part of a fledgling group trying to create a community spirit in our village. We’re trying to think of very easy ways to make a village Christmas event. It can’t involve shutting roads or anything elaborate or expensive. Unfortunately we don't have a village green or any public space in the centre of the village. Our parish council is generally supportive but massively understaffed.
There is a Christmas tree festival on at the church already and we were planning an elf trail for kids in the run up too. Local shops and cafes want to join in but what can they actually do to make it a special experience for the community without too much effort or expense?

How about an advent calendar where different shops/houses reveal their displays (or at least an element of them) through December?
Is there anything you can do in the church or church hall?

Village advent windows - so people volunteer and get given a number for their date in advent, and decorate their front window as as advent scene - could be anything Christmas-y, to be unveiled on their date in advent and the village has a map so people can go and see the advent window each day.

Oh sorry x posy!

The Christmas tree festival is on in the church and that’s usually quite well attended so that’s why we thought we’d build on that and try and get people to engage with the rest of the village too. I guess we might be able to do something in the parish hall but again, we’re not sure what.
The community library are happy to do something. There is a gift shop that is very popular and brings people in, again we want those people to use the rest of the village too. There are a couple of cafes too that want to get involved.

The advent idea is lovely in the lead up. I need something to actually happen on the day as well tho.

Do you have a village hall? How about a Christmas Market (I'd recommend saying no MLMs / Avon / body shop etc. Just independent people. You get better variety that way.)

Late night shopping night for the shops and cafes?

We have a Christmas window display, started in 2020 in lockdown and carried on, the pictures vary from kids drawings to artists with work for sale

Late night shopping and maybe hot choc available at the cafe, carollers, can one of the shops get someone in a Santa costume to sit on a chair in a "grotto" and give out sweets to the kids? Can you time it all to tie in with turning on the village's Christmas lights?

There's a charity that run a charity walk every year near me. It's done on Boxing Day, everyone pays about £5 to join, they all meet at the same time then go on a big ramble across fields with a village pub as the mid point then back.

Along the way businesses and volunteers will have tables set up giving out

• sweet cones to the kids
• hot chocolate/warm cider
• mince pies

And other little wintery/xmassy snacks, one year someone had set up a fire pit so people could make s'mores for example.

Everyone has a nice sociable morning wander and the charity raises several hundred pounds.

Carol singing?

Get a local brass band to come and play carols?

Love the idea of carol singing, maybe led by the school choir.

We do a community adventure calendar. Houses, the shop and pub decorate their window and a new one opens up each night. Maps are sold and the money raised goes to the school pta (who organise)

We have a lantern procession - gather in one part of the village, everyone brings lanterns / glow sticks etc and then we all walk to another part of the village for hot chocolate / BBQ / carol singing 🙂 no road closures involved if you plan the walk well - just a lot of people at the crossing 😁

I like the idea of a lantern procession. We did out once at a summer carnival and its very atmospheric. Maybe it could start at the church and walk round the village…? How do you plan the walk to make sure everyone stays safe I wonder? Is the hot chocolate free?
Choir/brass band if possible would be nice but i suppose Carols could be good cos only requires the people participating…

The scouts sell hot chocolate as a fundraiser. There are people in high Vis at the front and back and people use footpaths / pavements.

We often have the local brass band, but have also had some locals with their guitars / the school choir as well 🙂 oh and Santa makes an appearance as well...

Brownies might be interested in helping or fundraising with hot chocolate too, they can use it for the Hospitality badge.

Ooo yes brownies and cubs could be good to get involved.

You could even decorate sheep with fairy lights

Nice idea but where do the sheep come in? Maybe you mean shops?

We do carol singing in our village, that's quite nice and doesn't cost anything. Usually a few volunteers bring mulled wine and mince pies.

Sorry a slightly obscure comment about a MNetter of old. Ignore me!

Depending on how many cafes you have, could you do a move along supper eve? Starters, main course and deserts in different venues? Or different Christmas foods at each venue and then end up in the pub? Or do it in different houses and have donations?

Mulled wine and mince pies (plus non-alcoholic mulled wine alternative): inexpensive, easy and relaxed. Edit: sorry I see this has been suggested already.

Can Father Christmas visit? And some elves? He could even just do a walk through and give out sweets

if anyone has some horses, sheep, maybe Jesus, Mary, Joseph, three kings, shepherds could do a walk through?