TIDINGS of great joy: Christmas is no longer cancelled.

York was facing a bleak midwinter, its festive illuminations stuck in storage. Then Santa appeared early, in the form of Chris White, and handed over a £30,000 gift.

We must thank Mr White, managing director of Nestl Rowntree, for responding so generously to our Make York Sparkle appeal. It is a gesture in the grand tradition of Rowntree philanthropy.

His contribution ends the hasty and embarrassing whip-round to ensure York could afford to plug in its Christmas lights this year. It should also mark a beginning.

The city's business community must start planning a bigger, brighter Christmas 2005 - right now.

Complacency over York's Yuletide allure got us into this mess. It took large donations from Nestl Rowntree, the city council, GNER and First to kick-start Christmas.

Too few of the businesses who would most directly benefit from the lights display - city centre retailers - put their hands in their pockets.

Thanks to Nestl Rowntree, this year's emergency fund now shows a surplus. That extra £17,000 is the perfect foundation on which to create a spectacular light show.

Rival shopping destinations have not been so nonchalant, and have long outshone York. If their retailers can work together for the greater good, so can ours.

It is time to lay the ghost of dull Christmases past and plan a dazzling future.

Updated: 11:27 Wednesday, October 06, 2004