In Pictures: Dazzling displays help to spread the Christmas spirit

Nothing quite says Christmas like the twinkling of sparkly lights, and people are feeling festive across the land by switching them on in celebration.

Here are some of the biggest and brightest displays celebrating Christmas 2023 around the UK and Ireland.

Houses illuminated by Christmas lights on Lower Morden Lane in Morden, south London (Aaron Chown/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Aaron Chown

Michael and Paul Fenning have delighted their neighbours with themed displays over the years and this year opted for a sweet Wonka Christmas in celebration of the new film (Danny Lawson/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Danny Lawson

Shoppers have been taking in the festive spirit as they pick up gifts on Bond Street, London (Matt Crossick/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Matt Crossick

Celebrities have been getting into the spirit too as hundreds of onlookers gathered to see Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger switching on the Covent Garden lights (John Nguyen/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - John Nguyen

Towns and cities across the UK put on their own fabulous displays, using everything from the walls of a cathedral to fishing creels for festive fun.

People walking through an illuminated archway during a preview of the Christmas at Kew festive trail, at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London (Andrew Matthews/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Andrew Matthews

Luca Mowbrary, 12; Dan MacRae, 11; and Daniel Mason, also 11, take a closer look at the lights on the Christmas tree made of fishing creels on the harbour-side in the Scottish village of Ullapool (Jane Barlow/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jane Barlow

Leazes Park in Newcastle was transformed into the Northern Lights Christmas Trail, a mile-long walk through illuminations, sculptures and special effects (Owen Humphreys/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Owen Humphreys

A multi-sensory digital art installation created by Luxmuralis, illuminates the nave at Peterborough Cathedral and tells the story of the Nativity (Joe Giddens/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Joe Giddens

Freddie explores the Enchanted Forest and Winter Illuminations at Stockeld Park in Wetherby, West Yorkshire (Danny Lawson/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Danny Lawson

A couple view the projections in Crown Square at the Castle of Light: Magic and Mystery event at Edinburgh Castle as the after-dark spectacle returns to transform the city’s skyline (Jane Barlow/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jane Barlow

Dublin Zoo sent visitors on a wild trail through magic and fantasy lands with their Wild Lights silk lantern exhibition (Niall Carson/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Niall Carson

Thanks to a bit of imagination, many people have used their festive lights to raise money for good causes.

Ian and Ann Cooper’s Christmas light show, which features 28,000 lights, has been raising money for the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (Ian Cooper/PA)PA Media - Ian Cooper

Helen and John Attlesey in Soham, Cambridgeshire, decorate their house every year to raise money for charity. The money raised is donated to East Anglia Children’s Hospices, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity and Dreamflight, who helped their grandson Jacob recover from a serious form of epilepsy (Joe Giddens/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Joe Giddens

Andrew Walters from Stillington, County Durham, is raising funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust with his captivating display (Owen Humphreys/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Owen Humphreys

That’s plenty to keep our days looking merry and bright. Happy Christmas everyone!