In Pictures: Dazzling displays help to spread the Christmas spirit

Up and down the country, people have welcomed the festive season by switching on their Christmas lights.

A Christmas lights display on the home of Helen and John Attlesey in Soham, Cambridgeshire, who decorate their house every year to raise money for charity (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Wire)

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.

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.

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

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