Long-time West Rand resident Frans le Grange brought festive cheer by sharing memories of how the district used to celebrate Christmas in the past.

With Christmas approaching, Frans thought it informative to explain how the older generations used to celebrate it by holding community festivals, sporting events and a lot of Christmas lights.

“The idea was to create a spirit of Christmas by putting up lights and decorations throughout Randfontein. It was a pleasant opportunity for everyone, and residents were always excited,” he said.

Furthermore, the West Rand used to host an annual race on December 31 where athletes from seven countries participated. These countries were South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Kenya. According to Frans, the local factory in Randfontein sponsored this race.

Another way the community would celebrate Christmas was by decorating the sidewalks and then entering a competition. The ward councillors of that time then awarded residents in the top three with trophies. Various stakeholders participated in this famous competition, namely, schools, businesses and residents.

“It was something that the community really enjoyed. Back in the day, Christmas used to be celebrated on a very big scale,” he said.

Frans is not only a retired athlete, but also used to be the mayor of Randfontein. His role in the community played a major part in how Christmas used to be celebrated.