Mousehole Harbour Christmas Lights

Mousehole (pronounced 'Mowzel') is a small fishing village in West Cornwall about three miles South of Penzance. Every Christmas Mousehole's pretty harbour is decorated with a spectacular display of lights. As well as the harbour, the surrounding pubs, shops and houses are decorated and the illuminations extend up the road leading out of Mousehole to the South.

In late September the village begins preparation for their famous Christmas Lights, as they have done for over 40 years. This year the "switch on" will be held on December 17th at 7.30pm.

There will be the usual open air Carolaire service at the entrance to the North Quay. The ‘Carolaire Choir’, comprising of the Mousehole Male Voice Choir, Members of the Mousehole Methodist Church and friends from the community together with the Pendeen Silver Band, will lead the community singing.  If wet weather, the Carolaire service will be held in Mousehole Methodist Church. 

The illiminations are a spectacular and dazzling display from dancing reindeer to Santa Claus, to christmas pudding complete with sprigs of holly. A church with music playing. A cross with two angels. A huge lit happy Xmas, switching to happy New Year every few seconds. A dolphin spouting water. A multi coloured serpent bobbing in the water. A cracker, a pudding, a church with choral music broadcast via speakers- not forgetting the multi coloured lights festooned along the harbour walls.

There is even a star gazy pie in lights, a dish unique to Mousehole, prepared in the Ship Inn, ate on 23rd December- Tom Bawcock's Eve. On New Years Eve families often make it an early evening visit with the children, then having delicious fish and chips as they watch the spectacle unfold.

Nowadays people travel many miles from all over Cornwall and further a-field to see 'The Lights' Not only are the houses and cottages decorated but even the boats bobbing in the Harbour. Sometimes there are even helicopter flights from Penzance to see the spectacle.

On December 19th the lights will be dimmed between 8-9pm in rememberence of all those who lost their lives in the tragic Penlee disaster on the  Solomon Browne in 1981 when it was called out to assist the newly commissioned MV Union Star.

A little bit of trivia - When you think of illuminations Blackpool comes to mind. Poldhu translates from Cornish into pol - pool and dhu - black.

We are looking forward to celebrating our ninth Christmas at Trewoon and I already have planned this year's decorations for the main house, The Chocolate Box and Rest-a-Shore. The cottages and house look so festive in the month of December from the wreaths on the doors, to the garlands and christmas trees inside.

There is so much to see and do in Cornwall in December. Too much to cover in one newsfeed so another will follow in the next few days.

Our best wishes to you all.