Lighting of the Lights, Santa House, Christmas Craft Show bring the North Pole to London

The calendar has flipped to December and holiday festivities are kicking into high gear.

Victoria Park will be lit with over 75,000 bulbs Friday with the annual Lighting of the Lights celebration which begins at 6:15 in the evening. The switch will be flipped at 6:50 p.m.

Also in the park, Santa’s house has returned for a third year but for the first time you can also enjoy a sound and light show.

“We got over 12,000 lights that we’ve installed and they’re going to go to Christmas music,” explained Leo Larizza of the Teresina Larizza Charities (TLC) Foundation.

“They’re going to be played every hour on the hour starting at 6 p.m. and going to p.m. and that’s going to happen every night.”

Larizza stressed that the Santa house is completely volunteered based, with donations for photos with Santa going to the TLC Foundation, named in honour of his mother.

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The funds go towards gifts that under-privileged and seriously ill children in the community have asked for at Christmas, birthdays, and special occasions.

“I was on the receiving end when I was a little boy and I remember at Christmastime I got a box that said ‘boy, 8’ on it and I was devastated,” Larizza told 980 CFPL.

“I opened up the box and it was a puzzle of a nature scene. That stuck in my mind. So, let’s ask the child what they want so that on Christmas Day when they open up that gift they’re going to get something that they want.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I was on the receiving end when I was a little boy and I remember at Christmastime I got a box that said 'boy, 8' on it and I was devastated," Larizza told 980 CFPL.</p><p>"I opened up the box and it was a puzzle of a nature scene. That stuck in my mind. So, let's ask the child what they want so that on Christmas Day when they open up that gift they're going to get something that they want."

Photos with Santa will be available with donation from December 1 to 23 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. as well as from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. The light show will run every day of the week between 6 and 9 p.m. on the hour.

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Elsewhere in the city, Londoners looking for unique holiday gifts can head to the Western Fair District for the 38 annual Christmas Craft Festival at the Metroland Media Agriplex.

There are 300 booths featuring unique wares from artisans from across Ontario and Quebec. Admission is $7 and kids age 12 and under get in free. The show runs 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Photos with Santa will also be available all day all weekend.