Young Girl’s Festive Tradition Inspires New Southport Christmas Video

A heart-warming new video celebrating Southport during the festive season has been released by Your Southport and Southport BID - based on a local girl’s love of Christmas.

The video is inspired by the story of seven-year-old Pippin Marshall, who every year enjoys a tradition of visiting the Town Hall Gardens in Southport and planting ‘seeds’ before returning in November to see the town’s colourful Christmas tree has magically appeared.

Her face always lights up to see her beloved Christmas tree has returned.

• You can watch the video now on YouTube, or via the Your Southport social media channels, which are funded by Southport BID to promote Southport town centre and local businesses.

This year’s video centres on a young girl, inspired by Pippin, who visits Southport in anticipation of seeing the Christmas tree and lights - only to find nothing there.

Along with her Dad she visits a number of town centre businesses, who help her to 'grow' the tree and illuminate Southport for Christmas.

Parkinson’s Bookshop, The Vincent, and June the Florist - which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year - are all showcased, along with others.

It follows the Home Alone inspired video produced Southport BID last year, which enjoyed a huge viral response with over a quarter of a million people seeing it across the Your Southport social media accounts.

Pippin’s proud Mum, Vickie Marshall, is a well-known figure among families in Southport from running her Pebbles & Treasures parties and events business.

Vickie said: “Oh honestly, it’s so exciting (for Pippin's story) to be featuring in this special Southport video!

“We started doing this when Pippin was two-year-old and have done it every year since.

“We hunt out a magic seed, which is usually a small piece of sea glass or similar.

“Pippin feels them and sees which one feels the most magical and we all whisper our wishes for the tree.

“We say things like ‘I wish for you to be big and bright’, or ‘I wish for you to spread your sparkle across the town’.

“When we plant the seed in October we return each week and water it until it’s grown in November.

“Pippin loves the tradition, and honestly, as soon as the summer holidays are over, she’s pestering to plant it!

“It’s such a short period of time, their childhood, so I love that we have been able to make the magic of Christmas just a bit more special, not just for her, but all of us as a family - and now for everyone in Southport too.”

The video has once again been produced by Bertie Cunningham, Your Southport Marketing Manager at Southport BID, and stars local father-daughter duo Jose Carlos Macias Rial and Charlotte Macias.

As well as inviting viewers to follow Pippin’s moving story, the video also highlights how the investment of local businesses allows Southport to sparkle at Christmas - it can't happen without them.

Businesses in the Southport BID area all contribute to funding things that bring visitors into the town centre including: the Christmas tree; the lights along Lord Street; festive lights and decorations; the Southport Christmas Spectacular event; the 12 Days of Christmas Trail; and more besides.

Whether you’re enjoying festive family days out, lively party nights with friends, or peaceful winter walks beneath mesmerising lights, Southport is the perfect destination for a sprinkling of Christmas magic.

This is the place for shopping sprees and seaside strolls, catch-ups in cosy cafes and festive events aplenty.

There's a magical Christmas Trail, three perfect pantomimes in town, plenty of options for festive feasting, and a brand new Musical Light Show that makes a dazzling addition to Southport's famous Christmas lights.

You can find out all about Christmas events in Southport etc at www.yoursouthport.com/christmas