A SHOPPING centre will bring festive fun to shoppers throughout December.

Culver Square will launch its Christmas events with a light switch-on on Sunday.

From 11am the centre will be filled with entertainers, including the Colchester Military Wives Choir and Rock Choir, taking to the stage.

Special guestsFrozen’s Elsa and Anna will be in the centre for shoppers to meet before they switch the lights on and fill the square with snow at 5pm.

The light switch-on kick starts the line-up of festive activity, with fairs and workshops each weekend in December from then on.

On Saturdays in December, little ones are able to visit the free elf workshop.

Trainers Holly and Ivy will teach them all the skills they need to become one of Santa’s helpers.

Each week children will be taught different elements of the elf training programme including the secrets behind making reindeer food magic and how to write the perfect letter to Santa.

The workshops take place from 11am to 3pm on Saturday December 7, 14 and 21.

The centre will also be home to three Christmas fairs.

The annual Christmas fair will return on December 7 and 8 from 10am to 5pm with a wide variety of craft and food stalls filling the centre and helping to raise money for the Youth Enquiry Service.

The second fair takes place on Saturday December 14 in aid of the charity Christians Against Poverty and there will be a mixture of crafts, artists and food stalls, plus a vintage car on display and two church choirs singing festive carols.

The final fair, which takes place from 10am to 5pm on December 21 and 22, is The Bearded Gypsy Vintage Fair.

David Robertson, centre manager, said “Christmas is our favourite time of year and we are very excited about all the fun activities we have planned.

“We hope the mix of festive activity we have planned will create a magical Christmas atmosphere in the square for our shoppers to enjoy.”