Rain is falling on Abingdon High Street, reflecting the lights.

Overhead, white and blue Christmas lights make icy patterns. Bar windows have a warmer glow. The festive lights brighten what would have been a bleak evening 21 days before Christmas.

Most of the lights in Abingdon town centre are provided by Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council. The candles around the Market Place have been here for almost twenty years, but this year they have been fitted with orange flames.

The modern Christmas tree sculpture, made of a frame with white and blue LED lights, was added last year.

What is new this year is the projection of turning white snowflakes against what is usually a featureless brick wall beside the junction at the bottom of Stratton Way.

Not that projections are new to Abingdon. The other provider of lights is the Bury Street Shopping Centre who do their own. They project stars onto the precinct  pavement.

The lights make Abingdon a little brighter. With just 33 days until Twelfth Night, there’s time to enjoy.

St Nicolas Church are hosting Cards for Good Causes after a five-year gap. They offer a wide range of Christmas cards, wrapping paper, Advent calendars and other Christmas gifts. By purchasing these items, people are supporting the not for profit organisation Cards for Good Causes and over 40 local and national charities, including Amnesty International, Cancer Research UK, Mind, and The Alzheimer’s Society.

For many, Christmas cards have been a way to stay connected with friends and relatives, especially those not seen regularly. However, with the increasing use of digital communication, this may be changing. The cost of postage does not help. Second-class stamps are now 85p, and first-class stamps are £1.65.

Brown bin subscribers have been ending the festivities by putting out their real Christmas trees. Some of the trees look majestic and could have been kept on until the end of January. However, after fulfilling their festive duties, the trees will be collected, composted and sold to local farmers.

Outside, temperatures dipped, and in the late afternoon, fine snowflakes flew about. One Christmas Tree still shone at Annie’s Tearoom, next to the palm trees.