![](http://www.alamy.com/thumbs/6/9BEFC668-8673-4534-95AF-73448AB3FD55/BPPK91.jpg)
Santa and his helpers in Santa's Grotto at Christmas Photo:Jeff Gilbert
The use of decorative, festive lighting during the Christmas holiday season is a long standing tradition in many Christian cultures, and has been adopted as a secular practice in a number of other non-Christian, or predominantly non-Christian, cultures (notably in Japan). While the use of celebratory lighting during winter solstice festivals pre-dates Christianity, it is the European (and later North American) partly secularised traditions associated with Christmas which are now commonly recognised and enjoyed as Christmas (or festive, holiday-season) lights.
Size: 4367px × 2911px
Location: Binstead, Nr Ryde, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom.
Photo credit: © Jeff Gilbert / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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