The bells are ringing calling people to the midnight service at St Helen’s Church. Earlier I looked in and saw all the Christingles ready for the 4 pm Christingle Service at St Helen’s.

At Trinity Church, there was also a Christingle Service at 4 pm. After carols and the telling of Jesus’ birth, children and adults made their own Christingles with the help of a large Christingle at the front.

The Christingle candles were lit, and everybody sang Away in a Manger.

The last candle on the advent crown will be lit tomorrow on Christmas Day Morning.

Wishing you a Happy Christmas!

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.