The lights were taken off the Market Place Christmas Tree. Branches were then lopped off and fed into a wood chipper.

Soon all that remained was a spiny trunk.

The Abingdon public brought their own Christmas Trees.

Some dragged their trees, others brought them by car.

The Town Council Team then fed each tree into the chipper.

140 trees were recycled on the Market Place in January 2011. By January 2012 that number had jumped to 164.

This year 133 trees had already been recycled by midday. That number had jumped to 192 with ten minutes to go. The team were intending to stop at 3:00 pm but then there was a late rush of Christmas Trees.

The team stayed a little late by which time they had recycled 205 trees. Those tree chippings will help pave walks on the Ock Valley.

The new solar powered Christmas trees have not been a shining success during their first Christmas in Abingdon.

I have seen a blue flicker from some of the trees positioned, next to far brighter street lights, on Abingdon Bridge, but don’t know if it is the sun or the streetlight giving them the energy for their faint flickerings.

Some other trees have not managed a flicker, that I have noticed, but then the sun has been like a stranger to us this Christmas. Lets hope things change before twelfth night.

Thanks to Rachel for this report of the St Helen’s Nativity …

St Helen’s Church Baby and Toddler Group Christmas party has become something of an institution over the last few years, and is open to everyone.

The main parts in the Nativity Play were taken by choristers and members of Junior Church, and the toddlers themselves took part as angels and shepherds. It was also a chance to welcome back youngsters now of school age.

There were about 160 people there this year and we raised over £100 for the Island Farm Donkey Sanctuary.

Near the goalmouth at Caldecott Rec a family had left a tribute to Dave, who had devoted many many years to Saxton Rovers Football Club.

There were lots of people in town this morning. Not only was it Christmas Eve but also the Abingdon Monday Market.

Waitrose looked very busy and there was a long queue of people collecting their turkeys, and Abingdon Town Band played carols near the exit.

At St Helens Church there was a production line making 510 Christingles for the 4.30 pm Christingle Service.

Just a month after the last flooding the Rivers are rising again.

At 4:30 pm, there was the Trinity Torchlight Service where children brought torches to help light the way for the shepherds and wise men to Bethlehem.

Merry Christmas.