Lighting up Christmas

THE Christmas season has definitely begun. No, it’s not the Coca-Cola truck or the tediously cinematic department store adverts - it’s something much more sparkly and magical.

- By RACHEL STRETTON

Festive light trails have grown enormously in popularity over the past few years and with good reason. Nothing says Christmas quite like wrapping up warm, hands wrapped around a mug of something mulled, watching everyone from your baby to your grandma oohing and aahing over twinkly lights.

More and more seem to spring up every year but Luminate is a mainstay, with events across the UK, including at Coombe Abbey.

I went along on the opening night with the family including my husband, three-year-old and one-year-old.

We were among the first there, primarily because the kids get very cranky if they’re up much past their 7pm bedtime. After wrestling with wellies, snowsuits and splashsuits we jumped in every puddle along a path to discover a welcoming little food village at the start of the trail offering hog roasts, Greek gyros, loaded chips, hot chocolate, coffees and mulled wine.