To convey the beauty and charm of the region, we invited photographers across the area to participate in our 2023 photography competition. By submitting breathtaking images of the North East of Scotland, 12 winners were selected, who, in addition to receiving a modest gift, are featured on our website home page.

This month’s arresting photo was submitted by Darren McAllister.  It shows a scene from the Christmas Village on Broad Street, Aberdeen.

Darren’s striking photo captures an essential part of any good mid-winter festival – an opportunity to mitigate the darkness and the cold. There is activity and excitement in this photograph, colour, and gaiety, too. We feel this village will cheer us up, on doleful days. We can imagine there are lots of folk having fun.

The winter solstice has been, since time immemorial, an opportunity to mark the turning of the year and the beginning, however modest at first, of the journey towards spring. While a secular celebration, a Christmas Village allows one to take stock of the year about to depart, to consider the year coming, and, if so minded, to add to the joy that comes from a deeper insight into the meaning of Christmas.

If you’re interested in learning more about each one of our images as part of our photography competition, then why not take a look at one of our previous submissions, here.