It takes four nights, around £1m and 200 workers to dress the Trafford Centre for Christmas – and a lot of graft from a Huddersfield company.

Since 1998, the Manchester shopping centre has used the services of Lockwood-based KD Decoratives, who describe themselves as “world leaders in Christmas decorations, seasonal displays and theming for shopping centres.”

The firm, based on Albert Street, also decks out theme parks and cruise ships.

But although KD has been the supplier for the past 18 years, it still has to impress Trafford bosses with a new idea each year in order to win the contract.

KD’s 10,000 sq foot Huddersfield warehouse is packed with decorations – a place where it is Christmas all year round.

Fitting then, that employee Nick Carter, who has worked there for nine years, was born on Christmas Day.

Intu Trafford Centre after the Christmas lights have been installed
Intu Trafford Centre after the Christmas lights have been installed

While admitting even he can get fed up of hearing Christmas mentioned, 52-year-old Nick said: “We have 12 months of Christmas here so we are all just happy little elves. Sometimes you go home covered in glitter and wake up covered in it too.

“I was born on Christmas Day so I was named after Saint Nicolas. My mother said I spoilt Christmas in 1963 because she was in labour with me.”

Nick was part of a team that worked from late evening through to 8am over four nights in October.

The work involved fitting a huge chandelier said to be the world’s largest Christmas chandelier at 26ft deep and 16ft wide.

Nick explained how “operation ­chandelier” lasted one entire night and involved six workers. There was also a huge Santa’s sleigh and reindeer to hoist into the air.

Then there were the Christmas trees to install – more than 400 of them. And the lights and baubles...thousands upon thousands.

It all aimed towards October 27, when a crowd of 8,000 would flock to see X Factor star Fleur East turn the lights on. Corrie’s Kym Marsh was there too.

And the amazing night shifts and the big night itself were captured on camera for the C5 documentary.

The Radio Times magazine describes the show as a “look behind the scenes of the frantic run-up to Christmas.”

It adds: “Tonight, events manager Nikki sets off to collect 50 miles of fairy lights from Huddersfield.”

Trafford Centre: Countdown to Christmas, is on Channel 5 on December 14 and 21 at 9pm.