Category Archives: Christmas

DIY Christingle packs and a peep inside St Helen’s Church

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Christingle
Anyone walking by St Helen’s Church today would have seen sheep and angels stuck to the windows.
Christingle
They led to the crib where DIY Christingle packs were being handed out. Normally the Christingles are made by volunteers on Christmas Eve before the popular Christingle Service. This year you make your own Christingle at home and join the service using Zoom.
Christingle
There will be three services in St Helen’s in front of the main alter on Sunday 20th. Up to now only the side aisle has been used, when the church was allowed to open at all.
Christingle
The scaffolding has been cleared from most of the church (ceiling plaster had fallen and this work was needed).
Christingle
When I got home I made a Christingle using the DIY kit. The leaflet that came with it, explains:
Dried fruits / sweets = the fruits of the earth
Candle = Christ, the light of the world
The Orange = The World
Red ribbon = Christ’s blood shed for the world
4 cocktail sticks = the seasons
foil – protects fingers and reminds us we can all reflect the light.

Que Pasa en Abingdon?

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Advent Windows
At 8pm there were a lot of people out in West St Helen Street singing along to the live Silent Night Carol on their doorsteps.

Afterwards our neighbour mentioned an Advent Windows trail raising money for Helen and Douglas House at the old workhouse estate (Abbot Road, Thesiger Road and a bit of Oxford Road).
Advent Windows
I cycled down there and was amazed how many houses had taken part and how good the windows were.
Advent Windows
The pandemic and a WhatsApp group has brought the workhouse estate together.
Advent Windows
If all communities were like this there would be Peace on Earth.
Advent Windows
I then cycled to South Avenue and looked at their advent windows. They have been doing Advent windows for a few years. Their trail also raises money for Helen and Douglas House.
Advent Windows
One window said ‘HO HO HO’.
Advent Windows
Another said ‘HOPE’.
Advent Windows
Cycling back through Abingdon town centre I saw another new window lit up. The Que Pasa Tapas bar & Mediterranean Restaurant has opened. Que Pasa in Spanish means What’s happening in English.

Christmas will be different this year

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As we head into Advent, the Churches in Abingdon have teamed up with Abingdon Town Council to promote a community wide sing of the carol Silent Night at 8pm on Thursday 17th December.  There will be a track released closer to the time to sing along with.

Catherine sent me a picture from the Fitzharrys estate to show that they have started a living advent calendar this year.

The countdown begins. Christmas will be different this year. The Christmas story is the same but society has been changed by a virus.

From https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/
Last updated: December 03, 2020, 22:34 GMT
United Kingdom Coronavirus Cases: 1,674,134
Deaths: 60,113

Turning Off the Christmas Lights

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Last of the Christmas Lights
Today town council staff were recycling Christmas Trees on Abingdon Market Place.
Last of the Christmas Lights
The large Market Place tree usually gets chopped up and recycled on this Saturday. But not this year. It still stands there before the County Hall.
Last of the Christmas Lights
The Christmas Lights are still on this evening in town. It could be their last night. Or that could be tomorrow.
Last of the Christmas Lights
The dripping lights along the High Street have been impressive this year.
Last of the Christmas Lights
There have also been lots of ice cream cone decorations about the town centre.
Last of the Christmas Lights
The Candles on the Market Place have been there for about fifteen years, and should get a longevity award.
Last of the Christmas Lights
Bury Street were the first to turn their lights on, and could be the last of the Christmas Lights to be turned off this year.