The switching on of our festive lights has become the latest event to fall victim to the pandemic and, although ceremonies across Inverclyde were bereft of carol singers and smiling children, the towns that make up our community are now decorated with beautiful trees bathed in Christmas light.

Here we look back to previous Christmas gatherings that took place before the term 'social distancing'' was coined.

Pic1:

This picture shows kids of Greenock's Whinhill Primary School readying to push the large red button that would flood the town centre in glowing light. This was the first lighting ceremony of the many that took place in the towns and villages of Inverclyde back in 2012.

Pic2:

Carol singers Alana McEwan, Sarah Campbell and Michael Sinclair did the honours in front of a huge crowd at Gourock's Christmas lights switch-on in 2005.

Pic3:

Pupils from primary schools across Port Glasgow poses up for this shot as they joined together to celebrate the switch- on of the town's Christmas lights.

Weather conditions allowed a large turnout for the 2009 ceremony.

Pic4:

Carol singers from Inverkip Primary School got the crowd into the Christmas mood with their fine singing before the switch was thrown to light up the village in 2006.

Pic5:

Cold weather for lighting ceremonies across the community in 2006 didn't dampen the spirits of these merry Wemyss Bay Primary School carol singers.

The cosy kids bought festive cheer as they performed favourite carols and Christmas tunes under the village tree.