Cards for Good Causes – the multi-charity Christmas card shop – opened in Abingdon today (Tuesday, October 23), and are celebrating their 30th year.

Comedy writer, and editor, Paul Mayhew-Archer opened the shop at St Nicolas Church in Abingdon. Paul was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and has been working with Parkinson’s UK, whose cards, and those of many other organisations are on sale. Buying the cards helps generate funds for good causes, and raises awareness of their vital work.

The shops will also sell some special cards depicting local scenes by artist Colin Tuffrey, such as: ‘Abingdon from the River’. There will also be a range of Christmas goods including wrapping paper, gift tags, candles, stocking fillers, and traditional Advent calendars.

Look out for the red triangular Santa signs outside for when the shop is open.

The shop is part of a nationwide network of more than 300 pop-up CFGC shops, all staffed by a team of local volunteers.

On Thursday 5th January the Christmas Tree on the Market Place and most of the Christmas lights in Abingdon town centre were lit up for the last time of the festive season.

By Friday evening the Christmas Tree was getting a short back and sides.

The branches were the first into the shredder on Saturday morning, followed by all the smaller trees bought in by Abingdon residents: some dragged, some carried, others ferried in by car.

The trunk of the large Christmas tree was chopped into sections and given to a local barge owner for his stove. The chippings from the branches and smaller trees will be used on places such as the Ock Valley walk. The fragrance of the oils in those pine needles ought to be bottled. It makes such a wonderful smell during the shredding.

P.S. Vale of White Horse District ‏say “if you’re a garden waste customer, leave your real Christmas tree out beside your brown bin this week – we’ll collect and compost it.”

At the annual Boxing Day gathering of MGs, on Abingdon Market Place, some of the cars had their tops down.

It is a social event for the MG Car Club, and a chance to take the cars out for a spin.

Sailing boats from Abingdon Sailing Club also went out for a spin on the River Thames at Abingdon.

After a mild Christmas Day, Boxing Day was sunny, and lots of people left the house to get some fresh air in Abingdon.

From Christmas Bells
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

From In Memorium by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
Ring, happy bells, across the snow.
The year is dying in the night;
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

From Noel Christmas Eve by Robert Bridges
…
Tonight I can’t help thinking of those towers (the bell towers)
And I pray unto God for their souls and the souls of the world
That stand in towers and ring their bells tonight,
Arms lifted, clutching rattling ropes that race
Into dark above the mad and romping din
That to me heard afar is starry music

From Christmas Eve at Sea by John Masefield
…
The moon goes nodding down the west,
The drowsy helmsman strikes the bell;
Rex Judaorum natus est,
I charge you, brothers, sing Nowell, Nowell,
Rex Judaorum natus est

From Minstrels a Christmas Poem
by William Wordsworth

The minstrels played their Christmas tune
To-night beneath my cottage-eaves;
While, smitten by a lofty moon,
The encircling laurels, thick with leaves,
Gave back a rich and dazzling sheen,
That overpowered their natural green.
…
And who but listened?–till was paid
Respect to every inmate’s claim,
The greeting given, the music played
In honour of each household name,
Duly pronounced with lusty call,
And “Merry Christmas” wished to all.

From ‘A Christmas Carol‘ by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Joy rises in me, like a summer’s morn:
Peace, Peace on Earth! The Prince of Peace is born!

(First posted on the Tithe Farm and Ladygrove Forum – Dec 25th 2003)