YULETIDE 1951 was set to be the "brightest Christmas since the war" according to the Malvern Gazette of 50 years ago.

One of the most eye-catching features of the town was the "huge illuminated tree standing majestically on Belle Vue Island".

The tree was presented to the town by Countess Beauchamp, who said it was the third year Malvern had had such a tree and that it looked like becoming a tradition.

Elsewhere in town some 280 children, some of them from local orphanages, had a great time at Pale Manor Hall, where the annual RRDE Christmas party was held.

There were "cries of joyous wonder and delight" at the arrival of Father Christmas, after which the young guests were entertained by the enactment of an original version of Dick Whittington.

At the Merebrook Army camp, just outside Malvern, a further 140 children attended another party, at which the high point was the arrival of Santa "down the chimney of a festooned gymnasium".

Leaping ahead 25 years to 1976, we find the Malvern Gazette reporting that it looked almost certain to be a white Christmas on the hills.

Several inches of snow had fallen in the previous few days and, as a result, the town's Christmas shop window competition was cancelled because "the condition of the road made it impossible for the judges to tour the town and inspect all the windows".

7 Santa greets youngsters at the RRDE Christmas party at Pale Manor Hall.