On Wednesday 3rd, Mijas Pueblo welcomed Christmas by switching on the lights that will illuminate the streets and squares of this town centre until the 6th of January. The ‘pastoral’ groups Vecinos del Camorro, Las Lagunas, Virgen de la Paz, Santiago, and the group of the Hermandad del Nazareno filled the historic centre with their Christmas carols, kicking off a magical afternoon eagerly awaited by families. “We have to thank these groups for their contribution. We listened to them around a warm fire, and these are groups that help pass traditions down from generation to generation, because we see children singing with their parents and grandparents, and that is something very beautiful”, said the mayoress Ana Mata (PP).
Next, a display of fireworks, lights, images and sounds flooded the façade of the Mijas Town Hall, creating a unique Christmas atmosphere, later joined by the artist Mami Curl, who, together with the talented violinist Jesús Miguel Navas, enlivened this special day with the typical melodies of the season.
After the music, it was time to press the button to officially switch on Christmas in Mijas Pueblo, a gesture carried out by the mayoress and a group of children. The moment when the streets and, above all, the Virgen de la Peña square were lit up caused great excitement among all those present. “I think this is the first year I’ve cried when seeing the lights. It was spectacular, listening to the music, watching the light show... really very beautiful”, said young Mijas resident Isabel María Aranda, as did her sister Laura Aranda, who said she had loved the afternoon, “I wasn’t expecting it, everything was really cool, the Christmas tree, the fireworks and even the moment when the button was pressed, which I had never seen live before”.
Mata also took the opportunity to acknowledge “the work of all those who have made it possible for us to be here today, especially our municipal employees, who have made it possible for us to enjoy a very special afternoon and evening”. Christmas in Mijas has only just begun!
La Cala
After kicking off in Mijas Pueblo, Christmas arrived in La Cala on Thursday 4th with a celebration that combined deep-rooted tradition with new audiovisual offerings, including a video mapping show on the façade of the La Cala Branch Office. The boulevard and the branch office square were filled with residents and visitors who came to witness the official switching on of the lights, in a ceremony presided over by the mayoress, Ana Mata (PP), who emphasised that “Mijas must also stand out at Christmas, in the streets, enjoying our shops and restaurants, and supporting our self-employed people, who make our municipality great”. The mayoress wished all the residents of Mijas a Merry Christmas “here in Mijas, with their loved ones” and invited everyone to “come and visit us and enjoy these splendid light”.
The event began with the most typical sound of this time of year, thanks to five local ‘pastoral’ groups who opened the programme of events. After the traditional music, the façade of the La Cala Branch Office came to life with an audiovisual light show, and the programme was rounded off with a performance by singer Mami Curl, who offered a repertoire of Christmas carols in English and Spanish with touches of rock, blues and soul.
The reception from the audience was very positive, especially among the international community. Lauren Osman, a resident born in Spain to English parents, was delighted: “It’s very beautiful and entertaining, there’s nothing like it in England”. Isabel Bateman highlighted the emotion of the moment, saying, “I love it because it’s a tradition here, it’s very moving to see the lights and how people enjoy it”. The switch-on culminated with a speech by the mayoress of Mijas and the official lighting, giving way to a programme that continues on Friday 5th of December in Las Lagunas, where there will also be a Christmas switch-on.
“We enjoyed the switch-on on the Boulevard with the music show, where we only had to look at the faces of the little ones, who are perhaps the ones who look forward to Christmas the most. We wanted to create a Christmas where everyone feels the festive season because, in the end, the lights represent moments with the family, moments of sharing together, of harmony rather than conflict and, above all, of making wishes for the coming new year, so that it will be full of excitement”, said the mayoress.
Las Lagunas
In Las Lagunas, on Avenida de Mijas, the official switching on of the Christmas lights will take place on Friday 5th from 18 hours. There will be dance performances by the UP, and as in the village, several ‘pastoral’ groups will sing, creating a traditional Christmas atmosphere. The mayoress of Mijas, Ana Mata (PP), will be in charge of pressing the button to switch on the Christmas lights, as she did in the other districts. This year, the decorations feature a total of 3.8 million LED lights. In addition, an extensive programme of events has been scheduled to highlight each neighbourhood.
Regarding the programme of events, on the 12th of December there will be a Santa Claus Village in Andalucía Park from 16:00 to 20:00 hours. On the 13th of December, a ‘zambombá flamenca’ will take place in El Juncal (Calle Virgen de la Concepción) starting at 19:00 hours. On the 21st of December, the storytelling event ‘La estrella de la Navidad’ is scheduled at Fernán Caballero Park from 17:30 hours. On the 27th of December, the royal postman will be in the Candelaria Square from 16:00 to 20:00 hours, and on the 30th, ta children’s party will be held in María Zambrano Park from 16:00 hours. A Christmas designed for the enjoyment of young and old alike.
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