CHRISTMAS spirit has arrived in Proserpine with real gusto this year, thanks in part to the efforts of the recently formed Proserpine Progress and Community Group.

The group launched in April and will for the first time run a best-decorated business competition and present a best customer service award.

Participating businesses will display a sign in their windows indicating they are part of the competition and the public will then choose the display they believe to be the best.

The winner of the best-decorated business competition will be whisked away on a Great Barrier Reef adventure thanks to Cruise Whitsundays who donated the prize.

The group's president Tracey Cameron said the competitions were a chance for the community of Proserpine to get behind local businesses while celebrating Christmas.

"It has not looked like Christmas in Proserpine for many years so the whole idea was to ... instil some Christmas spirit back into the place and promote the businesses,” she said.

"All the prizes have been kindly donated and this was a simple and easy way to do it.”

Ms Cameron said it felt like the group was making a real difference to the community of Proserpine.

"Apart from three of us, no one is a business owner,” she said.

"We have a mixed bag (of members) with free membership and it's open to anyone and everybody and we are pushing for things everyone will benefit from.”

Other work the group undertakes includes promoting the work of Meals on Wheels, helping to sell crafts created by the Whitsunday Leisure and Activities Centre, and promoting the work of the Whitsunday Fauna Rescue and the Proserpine Nursing Home. Christmas decorations and crafts made by the activities centre and the nursing home will go on display in Main St.

Winners of the group's competitions will be announced on December 16.