Over one house, on the Radley Road, is a cut-out of a Santa Claus climbing up the side of the chimney. Below, is a reindeer with a sleigh filled with presents.

The workhouse estate have a Advent Window Calendar to help raise money for Helen and Douglas House. They began with ‘one’ on the Oxford Road and ‘A Cracker!’ .

Unlike South Avenue that has three or four entries for each day, the Workhouse Estate has just one a day, and day 15 in Abbot Road shows the Grinch, dressed in a Santa outfit, stealing a Christmas tree. His loyal dog Max wears antlers.

The Fitzharry’s Estate also has an Advent Window Calendar but I did not see if they are collecting for charity. On Friday 13th a house in Letcombe Avenue has a reindeer crashing through the window – half in and half out.

Today, the 23rd, a house window on Fitzharry’s Road shows the Three Wise Men from the nativity story. Guided by a shining star, they journey with gifts, believing they are traveling to greet a great King. Instead, their path leads them to a stable, where they find a new-born baby lying in a feeding trough.

South Avenue and Holland Road have been bringing joy to residents and visitors with their annual Advent Windows displays since 2017. The 2024 display looked bigger and better then ever.

This evening, the community gathered outside number 54 South Avenue to celebrate together. The organisers provided hot chocolate, mulled wine, and mince pies. A raffle was organised by The Abingdon Bridge, a local charity supporting young people in Abingdon. Donations given for the Advent Windows will also go to The Abingdon Bridge.

People gathered, drinking their mulled wine or hot chocolate, to hear carols from an Abingdon choral choir.

The stars were bright overhead and the window displays were amazing.

So many people want to take part that there are usually three or four houses displaying Advent windows each day. On December 1st, three windows were revealed. This particular display is located on Holland Road.

There’s an activity sheet and trail for children where they have to find candy canes. Here’s one of them – look, it’s in the dog’s mouth!

This window celebrates the Nativity (the birth of Jesus about 2020 years ago), and the Christian hope that God is with us.

Can you see more candy canes? At Christmas we mix the religious elements with other traditions like Father Christmas who gets stuck down the chimney and a reindeer with a red nose,

and presents, crackers  and much more besides.

Sally Mears led the Church in Abingdon (CiA) carols this morning on Abingdon Market Place.

There was a good turn out. By the time they reached ‘O, the rising of the sun / And the running of the deer’ there was also warm sunshine.

In previous years, I have been asked when there will be carol singing in Abingdon. So here is what I have been able to find out about carol services from church websites. (The website links are included if you want to double check. I am just human.)

Abingdon Church Carol Services

The Oxfordshire County Carol Service is in Abingdon this year. The Chair of Oxfordshire County Council, Councillor Alison Rooke, and The Bishop of Dorchester, The Rt Revd Gavin Collins, invite you to join them on Monday 16 December 2024 at 6.30 pm in St Michael and All Angels Church. Dress code is smart casual and chains are to be worn.

A Festive Bells Initiative (FBI) will ensure the carol services at St Helen’s and St Nicolas are heard far and wide.

The Abbey Baptists, who are not part of the CiA, have their own Carol Service on the Market Place on Saturday, December, 21st at 10 AM.