Today’s Herald has a fuller roundup of the year, but I have run out of time to do 2014 justice except to say it went very quick …

In 2014 we sadly said goodbye to a number of well known Abingdon people. The funeral of Les Argyle, former Mayor of Ock Street, was on the blog in January, for what was a moving send off by the Morris Dancers.

One of the more spectacular blog pictures of the year came in February, when a tree came close to demolishing the Conduit House in Albert Park.

Our local recycling centre, in Drayton, has made a display of discarded Christmas decorations. I went there today to clear out some things that were beyond repair.

Our front door wreath was also recycled.

In March we got home to find that our son had recovered a wreath from a skip up the road. I wrote about the skip and some dangling guttering on this blog in a piece called “A Posh Skip in West St Helen Street.

April to October then just sped by…

Radio Abingdon Xtra stopped broadcasting in November. Their web site says “AbingdonXtra was a community radio station for Abingdon-On-Thames. Due to other commitments and funding it was closed down 20/11/2014. Thankyou to all out listeners, broadcasters and Sponsors.”

And in December we have learned that Abode are to close. There were queues for the start of their closing down sale on 27th December. Their window poster says “It is with great sadness that we have finally decided to close our fabulous store in Coxeter House, Abingdon. The past few years have been very challenging in the retail sector, and the way people shop has changed dramatically.”

The annual Carol Singers from Abingdon Christian Aid were on the Market Place yesterday. John Enticott always sent me a picture for the blog. This year the singers braved the cold wind and hopefully raised quite a bit from passing shoppers. They even had some impromptu dancing from a happy toddler or two. It would have been Johns’s 77th birthday, and although everybody who knew him missed him, the brass band and singing did him proud. Thanks to John’s daughter for sending this.

The Town Crier was ringing his bell and announcing the Street Art Exhibition which had its last day today at the Community Shop. It was something new to Abingdon and well worth a visit.

Some firemen came to town later in the day. They were recruiting ‘On Call Fire Fighters’. Anybody interested can go along to the Fire Station any Tuesday Evening from 7-9 pm.

Today was probably the hottest Abingdon Christmas Extravaganza Day on record. It was a lovely sunny day in late November.

The Mayor, Councillor Angela Lawrence – a long time advocate of Fair Trade, visited the Fair Trade Christmas Bazaar, at St Ethelwold’s House, in the morning.

There was no best shop window competition this year. But looking round, and I am no judge, it would have been between Fabulous Flowers …

and Oxfam. Snow was falling throughout the day on the Reindeer inside the window. If they don’t turn the snow off soon it will drift.

At midday, waiting in Queens Street Carpark for the start of the Christmas Extravaganza Parade, were the Mayor, Mace Bearer, Town Crier, and Town Clerk.

Various community groups were also waiting to take part in the midday parade, including some junior members of the cast of a play that will be performed in the Unicorn Theater from Wednesday 10th December to Sunday 14th December – called Scrooge. More Info Here.

The Oxford Caledonian Pipes and Drums Band led the parade.

Throughout the day people visited Abingdon shops, and coffee shops. They ate Hog roasted by the Crown and Thistle, partook of beer brewed by Loose Cannon Brewery, and enjoyed entertainment provided by many community groups. Pictured above are the Abingdon Community Choir.

The day ended with fire juggling…

The Christmas Lights were switched on (pictures to follow) …

and fireworks.

More pictures of the day on AbingdonBlog Facebook.