On Thursday I met my friend from Grammar School days in the Osier Cafe in St Marys church in Stowmarket for a coffee and a look around this years Christmas Tree festival, which was lovely and colourful as always.
The theme was Christmas Carols and songs and some clever ideas from groups in Stowmarket and round about.
Several bloggers have already featured church tree festivals on their blogs - but I need to fill a blog post so here are a few more and apologies too as the photos are not very good.
I'm not sure when they started doing this festival but I've certainly been to look almost every year since we moved back to Mid Suffolk.
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Yesterday was sunny and bright all day which was lovely after a gloomy Thursday. I got the chocolate meringue gateau made and into the freezer ready to take on Christmas day along with chocolate brownies that are already in there. Decided that I'll make an apple crumble to take as a complete change from chocolate things for deserts. Next week I need to make cheese straws for EGS - and everyone else- but they are his favourite, the quick wartime Christmas pud for when BiL is here Boxing day and some speedy sausage rolls with ready rolled puff pastry and de-skinned chipolata sausages.
I love all the bligpists about tree festivals, and the creative quirky interpretations. I have never heard of the carol on that Boys' Brigade tree. [Perhaps I should have gone to Specsavers for a hearing test]
ReplyDeleteWe moved house in that winter of 62-63 , I remember it clearly - including skidding on black ice and the car ending up in a ditch. No seatbelts then, I was in the front, mum in the back with my baby brother in her arms [3 months old] but we emerged unscathed. It was SO cold.
My sister was only 3 and gets cross that she can't remember the things like this that I can!
DeleteI remember it was the year the pond on the common froze over and we went sliding on it. I would have been 6
ReplyDeleteI remember the huge long ice slides the boys made in the school playground - wouldn't be allowed now of course!
DeleteHi Sue, there is a very good book on that cold winter of 1962/3 it is called 'Frostquake' by Juliet Nicholson. Still listening to 'Silent Bones' by Val Mcdermid which is very good.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the library "I have previously borrowed" that book but it's not written in my book-of-books-read so I must have not finished it - better try again!
DeleteI enjoy looking at the Christmas tree photos so am happy that you shared them. I travelled to secondary school by bus after a long walk to the bus stop in 1962/63, and don’t remember missing a single day. Catriona
ReplyDeleteWe only had half a mile walk to school. I spoke to someone who had a mile walk and she could remember walking over the top of snow drifts that year.
DeleteI love the Christmas trees! I used to always visit a church in Totnes when they had similar. It was fascinating to see different interpretations of a theme. I loved it. Happy Christmas 🎄
ReplyDeleteIt's always good to go and have a look at the trees and nice to have a coffee in church while they are there
DeleteWe have a lovely Christmas tree festival in the town Church with many handmade decorations from the local schools and societies.
ReplyDeleteI remember the winter of 62-63, the frozen, third of a pint, milk bottles stood around the stove in the village school, and our wet gloves all on the fireguard. The many power cuts. The river was frozen at Stratford upon Avon and we walked across it.
It's odd but I don't remember the power cuts at all or being cold at home, I guess we were used to the house only being heated by two fires
DeleteI remember that winter too. We still had to go to school and my Dad having to leave the car at the bottom of the road as he couldn't get up the slope, which was good for sliding down on a tin tray. I can remember finding dead birds lying on the snow as they'd frozen to death in the trees and hedges. Xx
ReplyDeleteChristmas tree festivals are always worth a visit, I went to a beauty this year. Church coffee and cake is usually great value too.
ReplyDeletePenny
A Christmas tree festival is such a delightful idea and so much imagination and work goes into the designs.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice that you have lots of memories from your early days. Christmas time always brings back memories of special presents and outdoor adventures with my brothers and sister. I'm lucky that we all live in the same city now so I get to see them often.
ReplyDeleteI remember the winter of 1962 clearly. I was 13 and remember my mum, me and my brother aged 8 all trudging to the local co-op for bread and milk. It was freezing and the snow piled so high on the verges. We were slipping and sliding all over the place and my feet in my wellies were icy :(
ReplyDeleteI love a tree festival too :)
Angie
Such lovely trees. Here in Saskatchewan the schools never, ever close. The buses might not run, but parents seem to get their children to school in some way.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I love the Christmas tree festival. It should be adopted in the US.
ReplyDeleteUS churches have sales of all kinds. Currently, they are selling wreaths, centerpieces and baked goods.
I was 15 and at boarding school in Ditchingham. Best thing about that winter was NO HOCKEY! Many of us brought our sledges back to school and we must have found some sort of hill!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy seeing the Christmas Tree Festivals. My sister went to one in and Ipswich church a few weeks ago and sent photos. They were lovely to see! Usually, if there is a tree festival over here it costs money to get into and it's not that cheap!
ReplyDeleteI miss all the Christmas-y telly. It's not the same over here.