THERE will be free mince pies and Christmas punch at the Stand Shopping Centre on Thursday.

It follows a successful evening of late night shopping last Thursday which saw Crossroads Caring for Carers team up with the shopping centre.

A local branch of Rangers donned festive clothing to serve festive food and drink to shoppers in the Crossroads Christmas Market which is located upstairs.

St Thomas's Primary School entertained shoppers with scenes from the nativity and Sheean Prash, a local brass quintet, played traditional Christmas music.

John Shakespeare, manager of the Strand Centre, said: "There was a lovely festive atmosphere in the centre with a good 5,000 people through the doors after 6pm and a queue for Santa's Grotto.

"It was a lovely night in Douglas with the lantern parade and further stalls lining Castle Street and a night we're hoping to repeat next Thursday (December 8) with another free giveaway of mince pies and Christmas Punch."

A Christmas postbox is also housed at the market to collect entries for the Crossroads’ Christmas card competition.

School children are encouraged to post their design into the box to see if it could become the charity's Christmas card for 2012.

Entries can be any size but must be posted into the box by Sunday, December 18. Please include the child's name, age, school and a contact telephone number.
 
The Crossroads Caring for Carers Christmas Market is open from Thursday until Sunday every week up to Christmas.

For more information about Crossroads Christmas Market or the Christmas card design competition contact Alex Wilson on 01624 673103 or email awilson@crossroadsiom.org.

Also see: Christmas Market in aid of Crossroads to open this week