A Perthshire village has refused to let a global pandemic stand in the way of their pre-Christmas celebrations.
Residents in Blackford were out in force this weekend to show some festive spirit, while adhering to strict safety measures.
The community arranged Christmas market-style homes outside their homes, inviting visitors to browse and get some gift ideas.
Meanwhile, some attendees participated in Santa’s Crafty Fun Run, in which they walked or ran the equivalent of a marathon around the village.
Organiser Jenn Little believes the strength of the Blackford community allowed the two-day event to go ahead.
“We were wanting to maintain the community spirit,” she said.
“The idea came as we have a lot of crafters and bakers in the village, and we wanted to try and find a way of doing something as safe as possible.
“We decided that the best way to do that was to have stalls outside people’s houses.”
Attendees were given a route they could follow which outlined where stalls and other key points were placed.
A raffle was also held, with funds going to the Blackford Cares Group.
Meanwhile, attendees were encouraged to dress up for the event, with prizes for the best fancy dress and the best dressed pet.
Ms Little said the event was designed to bring people joy amid the difficulties of the past year.
“It is all about having a bit of fun”, she said.
“There was something for everyone and for everyone’s tastes, and it appealed to quite a wide age range as well, even if people came out just to enjoy the day – they didn’t have to purchase anything.”
While the weekend was designed to provide locals with Christmas cheer, organisers took precautions to ensure safety was a priority.
There was not more than one household or bubble at a stall at any given time and social distancing was practiced throughout the event.
Ms Little believes the event is a reminder of the close-knit nature of Blackford, with residents being willing to support each other.
She said: “It’s nice to rekindle that community spirit again and to remind the community we are still here for each other.
“We want to continue to support people as it is the small businesses that are really suffering at the moment.
“We wanted to have that warm, fuzzy feeling during the weekend.”
The community held a similarly-defiant summer gala earlier this year.
While other towns and villages cancelled their traditional holiday events, around 450 households across Blackford held a massive barbecue party.
The local gala committee secured funding to buy everyone sausages, rolls and disposable barbecue kits, and an army of 30 volunteers set out one June morning to deliver the goods, so that people could enjoy meals in the safety of their gardens that afternoon.
The village also enjoyed a Covid-compliant scarecrow competition.
Meanwhile, another major Christmas event is planned for Perthshire this weekend.
Scone Palace will hold its festive market on Saturday and Sunday, December 12 and 13, with a wide range of locally-made food, drink, crafts and gifts.
The market area will have a capacity of 200, with visitors invited to explore 100 acres of palace grounds.
Organisers said there more than 50 stall-holders have already booked and there will be tours inside the palace from 11.30am and 1pm. A special candle-lit tour will take place at 4.30pm.
