Xmas comes to Leith

THE 'BIG' SWITCH ON

We missed out on seeing the ceremony to unveil Edinburgh's Xmas lights this year. It was quite some show in 2012, with a dancer being whisked through the air on the end of a crane, plenty of music and action, well worth the wait around in the cold. And the big tree, donated every year by Norway, looks spectacular in it's traditional position half way up The Mound. This year the tree is still there, as it has been for as long as I can remember, but the opening celebrations were held elsewhere, shifting the short distance to George Street. This appears to be in line with giving what was originally intended to be the primary thoroughfare of the New Town (but eventually usurped by Princes Street), and the grand square of Saint Andrew at the eastern end of the street, a more central role in all official Edinburgh festivities. This was evident during the Festival, with a large chunk of George Street closed off to traffic and given over to a spiegeltent, large bar and food areas, and outdoor entertainments, while there were some new activities in the square as well. This was intended to stop the spread of the Fringe southwards, as the university area has creepingly become the great focal point for shows.

So Xmas came to George Street, which already had the spectacular lights of The Dome as an impressive starting point, and there was Chris Hoy on hand to press the button. Reviews suggest it was an enjoyable occasion, if lacking the spectacle that the hillside location afforded in past times. Maybe we'll go next year and join the thousands that turn up to see it happen.

That's the main attraction of the opening of the Xmas period in the city, but there are a few more localised sideshows too, and several districts in the city have their own switching on ceremonies. We live in Leith so this year we decided to get a look at how the old port area welcomes Xmas in.

Now, we had some idea of what it might be like, so this was more to satisfy curiosity than anything else. At the Foot of the Walk there's a decent sized tree. And some lights on lampposts. It was the same last year, and the year before, so we knew that spectacle wasn't really the appropriate term. This is a low budget effort, and crane swinging dancers were unlikely to be on the agenda. But if you attend an event filled with very low expectations, and those are met, isn't that a the very definition of satisfaction?

There was a choir in santa hats. Mostly children from a local school, 'conducted' by a teacher. There was a sound system, of sorts, which worked intermittently. But that didn't matter too much. Because there wasn't that much of a crowd to broadcast to - certainly fewer than two hundred, and how many of them were parents or other relatives of the kids on show? And secondly because - I have to say it - they weren't all that worth listening to anyway. Unless, presumably, you were one of the said parents or other relatives.

So there were songs. Predictable Xmas songs, with encouragement to the crowd to join in the singing of these well worn 'favourites'. Which at least helped drown out the choir a bit. There were jolly(ish) charity collectors in that most festive of outfits, the hi vis vest. And there was the big switch on itself.

This was filled with drama as a secret envelope was opened and a card read out bearing the names of the two kids from the singers who would 'help' press the button that would give us light. They were to aid the two celebrities chosen (?) to undertake the vital task. Who turned out to be a couple of Hibs players, looking very young and trying hard not to appear bored. Their names must have been announced at some point, but even if I'd heard them they would have meant nothing to me.

To round out the climactic nature of the actual moment there was the big countdown, starting at ten and managing to take in all the relevant integers going to zero. And there it was, the great light up.

You had to look closely. The actual Xmas lights were greatly outshone by the spotlights on the choir. But the tree has a sprinkle of white lights, and the four - count them all - lampposts have their curiously shaped appendages, all white, shining upon us. Xmas has truly come to Leith.

And now I know exactly what's involved I can carry away the two lessons this experience has taught me. Curiosity has been satisfied, expectations met. And. I won't bother next year. Chris Hoy seems quite interesting.