Date set for Mousehole Christmas lights switch on

October 20th, 2014

The date for the switch on of the famous Mousehole Christmas lights has been set.

The Cornish fishing village will be lit up by thousands of twinkling bulbs on December 13 this year, with the lights set to burn brightly until January 2.

The switch on ceremony gets under way from 7.30pm on the 13^th, with an open-air carol service.

The lights are a stunning sight with floating displays in the harbour and lights adorning almost every building in the village.

This year marks the 50th year of the switching on ceremony, after Mousehole-based artist Joan Gillchrest started the tradition in 1964.

The tradition celebrates the legend of how supplies of fish were low during a stormy winter when the village’s fishermen couldn’t put to see. Legend has it that the oldest of the local fisherman, Tom Bawcock, decided to put to sea despite the storms which lashed the coast and defied the odds to come back with several different kinds of fish. These several fish were used to make the village’s trademark Starygazy pie.

Part of the legend also tells how Tom’s cat, Mowzer, went to sea with him and calmed the waves by singing to the sea.

So celebrate Christmas this year by visiting the lights during your stay at our Christmas Cottages Cornwall 2014.