CHRISTMAS will be welcomed silently this year but one council is making sure the children of the town will not miss out.

Maryport is known for its Santa’s grotto and the presents he gives out at the annual switch-on of the town’s Christmas lights.

This year, the council is working with Santa so that he will switch on the lights and will leave presents for the children.

Chairman of the council’s finance committee, Carol Tindall, said even Santa cannot break the rule of six and social distancing regulations to visit every school or to invite children to his grotto.

Instead, schools and formal groups such as childcare organisations are to be asked how many children they have and Santa will leave presents with the town council who will in turn give to schools to distribute.

The council decided on Monday that it would not hold its annual festival because of Covid-19.

It has, however, prevailed on Santa Claus to switch on the lights via video so children can watch the event.

The council also wants to run a Christmas card competition for children with the winning card being printed as the mayor’s formal greetings card.

There will also be a Christmas poem competition for inclusion in the Christmas card.

These competitions will be run through the schools which will have all the details of how to enter.

Adults have not been out of the proceedings.

They will have their own photo competition to submit pictures of the Maryport area.

The best of these will be selected for inclusion in a council calendar to be printed and sold.

The council has also decided to keep any money saved from this year’s Christmas festival to be spent on lights and Christmas events next year.

The final decision on the lights switch-on was made on Monday after councillors had been asked to bring forward suggestions for a celebration that met government guidance and regulations.

Some of the ideas included a virtual switch-on with choirs, competitions and so on.

The council also considered a drive-through story telling event.

Santa’s grotto has been a hugely popular part of the lights festival, with huge queues each year.

The council looked at have visits by appointment but were not convinced that it could be done safely enough.