Bingham's Santa and lights trail spreads festive cheer

A woman has created Santa and Christmas lights trails in her town in an effort to spread festive cheer.

Sarah Hills, of Bingham, said the response to her interactive trails was amazing and that she wanted 2020 to be remembered for something positive.

Having not been able to meet her grandson when he was born just before the first lockdown, Sarah said she needed to do something that would lift people’s spirits.

The idea started when Sarah created a map of houses in the town that had pumpkins in their windows, a Halloween-hunt.

“I got so many positive comments I thought I needed to do something for Christmas. I thought about doing a Santa trail,” Sarah said.

“Then I thought, me and my children used to drive around for hours just looking for Christmas lights. So why not do a lights trail as well?

“It’s fun and a bit of exercise for the children.”

Sarah has created two separate trails that anyone in Bingham can follow. The lights trail map has Christmas trees dotted around on streets where festive decorations are present. There is also a list of addresses for people to visit on the Santa trail, of which there are a staggering 108.

Sarah said: “As well as this, I’ve called my house Winter Wonderland. I’ve made a little Santa’s grotto and a candy cane arch leading to it.

“This year has been a terrible year but the comments I’ve received after just amazing. My friend brought a tear to my eye the other day. She said she enjoyed so much what I had done and that I was one in a million.

“This year I’ve also put a charity box out to collect for the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance.”

To follow Sarah’s interactive Christmas lights trail, go to https://buff.ly/3mBxaVQ

For the Santa trail, go to https://buff.ly/2Vwx7yG