Harpur Hill residents lights up homes as living advent calendars

Every day in December up until Christmas Eve householders in the Buxton suburb have turned a window into a Yuletide view.

Photos taken by local photographer Robert McDonald, 23, show the stunning artworks as they are seen by passers-by.

Among the displays are awesome tissue paper-made representations of the Nativity and the Northern Lights and even an amazing stained-glass church window with trumpeting angels.

Others include a family of reindeer against a frosty-black sky and a jaw-dropping wooden Christmas tree complete with lights and shelves supporting tiny tree figurines.

The delightful arrangements have been lit every night at 6.30pm.

Homes taking part were marked on a specially-designed advent calendar printed with help from Jordan Orridge at Buxton’s Print Express.

Harpur Hill mum-of-three Andrea Felix, who helped organise the event along with the area’s residents association, described the event as ‘amazing’.

She said: “We’ve had some great work done - I can be a bit competitive and I was a bit worried when I saw some of them.

“But everyone has just enjoyed it and oddly enough the situation with Covid has taken the pressure off trying to organise events every night, such as carol singing.

“Next year we’re going to build on it and make it more of an event each night.

“It’s been a pretty awful year and I’ve not been able to summon much Christmas spirit but this has given me a focus.

“I think a lot of others have felt the same, stuck at home, but this has given them a reason to have a walk out.”

As well as thanking Green Man Art Gallery and Buxton Art Trail for publicising the advent event Andrea gave a special mention to Rachel Harrison, who came up with the original idea.

As part of Harpur Hill Living Advent Calendar Andrea and others are asking people to make a donation to Blythe House Hospice at blythehousehospice.org.uk/donate/.

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