Success of the GECC Christmas Grants for GHVTA – 2024 & 2025

The Glen Huntly Village Traders Association (GHVTA) is proud to reflect on the success of the Glen Eira City Council (GECC) Christmas Grants awarded in both 2024 and 2025. These grants have played a vital role in transforming Glen Huntly Village during the festive season and re-establishing Christmas as a celebrated community tradition after more than two decades without decorations.

In 2024, the first grant enabled GHVTA to deliver the village’s first Christmas activation in over 20 years. With new Christmas trees, lighting, window displays and decorations, the project brought a renewed sense of joy, community pride, and economic activity to the precinct. The overwhelming positive response — from traders, residents and visitors — clearly demonstrated the community’s hunger for festive revitalisation.

In 2025, the GECC grant again supported GHVTA in expanding this success, with a stronger focus on Christmas lighting throughout the village. This continued investment allowed Glen Huntly to evolve its festive identity, moving closer to becoming a future Christmas-lights destination for Melbourne. The layers of lighting, improved displays, and consistent village-wide theming strengthened community engagement, attracted increased foot traffic, and provided another successful Christmas season for local businesses.

These achievements would not have been possible without the extraordinary dedication of Jinny and the team of committed volunteers who worked tirelessly for the second year in a row. From planning and installation to coordinating traders and community support, their efforts ensured that Glen Huntly Village once again shone brightly for families, visitors and local traders.

The continued success of these Christmas projects highlights the importance of partnership between council, traders and the community — and reinforces GHVTA’s long-term vision to build Glen Huntly into a vibrant, festive and connected village for many years to come.