SALTAIRE will host a countdown to Christmas in style with its biggest ever Living Advent Calendar event.

Residents of the World Heritage Site will light up a number of windows throughout the village.

The advent calendar event, now in its 12th year, opens on Friday, December 1, with a record 14 windows. A new one is revealed every day between 4pm and 10.30pm until Christmas Eve and the event will continue until January 5.

Each window’s design remains secret until the day it is revealed.

There are no rules or expectations for windows, and themes are likely to range from traditionally religious to topical concerns, wintry scenes and tongue-in-cheek humour.

A leaflet with a map showing the locations of the windows features a bonus window design and a front cover illustration by Charlie Robinson-Arundel, seven.

The Saltaire Living Advent Calendar is organised under the umbrella of arts charity Saltaire Inspired, which aims to create quality contemporary arts events in unique settings. The Living Advent Calendar is one of three events held each year in the village, along with the annual Saltaire Arts Trail and bi-annual Makers Fairs.

The village’s Living Advent Calendar also reaches a much wider audience online, with almost 3,500 Facebook followers from 45 countries. The start of the Living Advent Calendar is part of festive celebrations in the village.

Saltaire’s Christmas tree lights switch-on will be held on Sunday, December 3, between 5pm and 7.30pm, at Victoria Hall, Victoria Road.

The event will include music, Christmas carols around the tree and stalls. The lights will be switched on between 6pm and 6.15pm.

Gillian Allmark, Saltaire Inspired spokesman, said the event was getting bigger each year.

She said: “This year’s is the biggest event we have ever done. We don’t turn anyone away. It is very inclusive and the community can get involved.

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“There is no theme to the windows, people can use their artistic flair. There is usually quite a range of designs. Last year, one window had music piped out.

“We have had former Saltaire residents get in touch saying they have set up a similar event where they now live in East Yorkshire.”

A pack of 12 cards featuring some of last year’s window designs are available to buy from Saltaire Visitor Information Centre, Salts Mill, Salts Pots and Pickles Deli in Baildon.

The leaflet and map is available from Saltaire Tourist Office, or can be downloaded from the Saltaire Inspired website at saltaire

inspired.org.uk/living-advent-calendar