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I’m a big fan of parades and the Christmas lights switch on in Aberdeen holds a special significance for me as my Father used to be involved in setting them up as part of the council Street Lighting Department’s duties.

One of my favourite stories I was told is of how a lucky child would be chosen to throw the switch at the Music Hall turning on all the Christmas lights down the length of Union Street but that those in the know could look out for the men standing up ladders at intervals up & down the street. They were each waiting to throw their own switches on cue to give the impression that all the lights were connected and controlled by the ceremonial switch. I understood that sometimes adults tell little white fibs about the magic of Christmas, but being in on this secret was just as special for me.

These days rather than the static ceremony huddled around the Music Hall we have a procession down Union Street with each set of Christmas lights switched on as the parade passes underneath with a big explosion of confetti. It always pleases me to see Union Street closed to traffic — when you have the freedom to wander off the narrow pavements you can see how impressive the street & it’s architecture really is.

I hadn’t decided beforehand but as the parade passed I realised it was a good time to use video rather than still photographs. I missed out Santa and most of the lights but it has cute big dogs, fabulous swans (seven of them, a-swimming) and a rather unseasonal steel band, also in it’s favour is that it’s short enough to not get boring—I hope!

I enjoyed the parade a lot, maybe because it had no pretensions of being any grander than it was, so I’ll leave you with two choice quotes overheard during the evening:

A rather plaintive cry from the parade:
“We’re not pigeons, we’re turtle doves!“

Two auld wifeys at the bus stop:
“Did ye see the reindeer?”
“Aye, they wir shittin’ ah ower the place.“