WHILE many of us are still coming to terms with the end of the financial year, the Murwillumbah District Business Chamber is thinking ahead, all the way to Christmas.

The chamber has announced a Festival of Lights and Community Christmas Party will be launched on November 26 to run until New Years Eve.

Businesses have been encouraged to extend their trading hours on Thursday and Friday nights during the festival, buskers have been asked to register to play around the CBD and Santa's Grotto will be in the main street.

Tweed Shire Council and Essential Energy will also be jumping on board to light up the town.

"Murwillumbah will be shining brightly this Christmas despite the GFC (global financial crisis)," chamber president Toni Zuschke said.

"We envisage that this event will grow and develop over the coming years and will be a community event that will essentially be owned by our town.

"Its success depends on what we are prepared to put into it.

"We are going to put our town up in lights to demonstrate to everyone that Murwillumbah is a town with heart, the Heart of the Tweed in fact."

Chamber liaison officer and event co-organiser Natasha Wernick said the festival would end with a community Christmas party at Budd Park on December 16 with Christmas carols, Santa and the announcement of the raffle and competition winners.

"It is ... a fantastic opportunity for businesses and for Murwillumbah to shine," Ms Wernick said.

"I look forward to seeing it all lit up and watching the town come together as they celebrate."

The Chamber will outline the proposal at its breakfast at Murwillumbah Services Club on Friday.