'The Glory Of St Clements Church Christmas Fair!'

I went to my favourite Christmas Fair of them all yesterday namely the one at St Clements Church, High Street, Hastings!

I ALWAYS have a lovely time there meeting old friends (some from my school days whom I never seem to 'bump into' at any other time?) and so it is something I look forward to every year at this time.

I was the very first person through the doors this year as I got to the church about 25 minutes early! I love to chat with the people behind me in the queue as its an opportunity to soak up some Christmas atmosphere, share a few laughs and help promote the festive spirit!

Me doing just that! (lol)

The queue this year was not as long as in previous years but then, as I reported at St Luke's a while back, this is the trend these days with the generations that love actually doing this kind of thing dying off!

This said, I was heartened to see a number of kids being brought to the fair by their parents. It is vital for the very survival of Christmas itself that we all do our bit to keep introducing Christmas to the next generation you know!

As you may already know, I LOVE the £1 a go prize every time stall and usually make a bee line for it as soon as I enter the church. For some reason though this year I didn't - deciding to browse through some of the bric-a-brac and craft stalls first. I bought a lovely Debenhams Christmas Tree broach (all sparkly!) that I shall wear myself (and blow the damage to my reputation!) in December and found the PERFECT present for a friend as well that I won't reveal the nature of here just in case they read this!

Sadly though when I did finally arrive at my beloved £1 a go stall I noticed that some of the familiar faces that I usually share some fun with were missing. I've never been one for remembering names ( unless you've ever had a record out!) but usually remember faces and some the elderly 'stalwarts' of the event I was hoping to see were definitely not there...

Thankfully one of the ladies I was hoping to see was there and she told me the sad news that the other lady I had expected to see had died recently and that her husband, with whom I often share some laughs, was in hospital at the moment. I felt so sad hearing the news because every year when I go back I fear hearing this kind of thing and up until now have always been pleasantly surprised to see them all smiling back at me for another year.

Pic courtesy of, Keith Leech.

The GOOD side of such sad news though was that the lady I spoke with had her DAUGHTER running the stall for her with a friend this year. At least if the tradition is 'handed down' so to speak it will help St Clements continue to put on such events!

After I 'bought my fill' of presents to open on Christmas Day from the stall I went for a cup of tea and a mince pie with my school-friend, Paul. He is a really nice, gentle bloke and said he would treat me this year so that was even better! (lol) We sat down and spent a good half an hour catching up on stuff and chatting about Christmas and there was only a smidgen of politics, honest guv! (lol)

I then saw the lady who organises the Fair every year. She is a marvellous lady, who at 78 is an incredible asset to the church. She was dressed with her usual festive hat on and a tiny mince pie hanging down (not a real one!) but was not quite as bright and smiley as usual I detected. It turned out that her brother passed away last week quite suddenly (though they knew he was terminally ill) which was why. What a STAR she is to STILL turn up, help out and be as Christmassy as ever in such sad circumstances, eh?

People often ask me why I love The Old Town and Old Towners particularly - well that's why! They are made of sterner stuff and do all they can for their community even in their own darkest hours. If only the people of other areas in Hastings & St Leonards would take a leaf out of their book!

I felt very honoured talking to her as well because she recounted to me how special it was to read the 'lovely story' I wrote about the Fair for 'Hastings Town' magazine a few years ago. That was probably more than 'a few' years ago now so it is nice for me to think that someone still remembers my efforts!
I really hope that this lady reached her fund-raising target from the Fair this year. The number of stalls was down a little on previous years but there was a 'Mulled Wine' seller this time around and of course the HUGE raffle!

It always pains me that I am invariably MEGA busy at this time of the year and so can not stay right until the end but I really enjoyed myself (as ever) again and came away with a bag full of presents and 'goodies' as I always do to help make mine and those I buy for's Christmas Day special.

Oh and I also bought 4 lovely home made cakes that were divine! I took a pic of them for you before sharing them with family and a friend. They look a bit 'sickly' but actually weren't as the sponge inside them was as 'light as a feather'!

Who needs 'Red Bull' to give them wings, eh? (lol)

God bless all at St Clement's Church - I wish them all a SMASHING Christmas and a very HAPPY new year xxx

'My First Christmas Fair Of The Year'

It was the annual Christmas Fair at St Luke's Church in Silverhill today! I always try to get along to the little churches 'festive do' as it is always a lovely event with a nice community atmosphere. The Church hall is big enough to make browsing fun but not so big that you lose the intimacy, if you know what I mean? I always associate the way that the parishioners lay out tables in the centre of the hall with Christmas table cloths on and implements for Tea and biscuits with the 'Women's Institute' for some reason (probably because my mates Mum, Mrs. Crouch was in the habit for many years of baking cakes for similar events and she was a W.I. member) and the whole event somehow evokes thoughts of a bygone age...

It is a fact, sadly that many of the generation of people who put a lot of work into running such events at local churches and community centres are now dying off. There were not as many stalls this year as last and the queue at the door before the STRICT opening time of 10AM only consisted of about a dozen or so people whereas I recall it stretching all the way back to the pavement in Sedlescombe Rd South a few years back. I always say to my Mum (who went with me) how we must all appreciate such events while we still have them because I can't see the latest 'always too busy on their phones' generation being bothered about 'Christmas Fairs' - or any social activity that involves the real world for that matter! (lol)

While there was a CRACKING selection of fresh, home made cakes to buy and sample this year and a HUGE raffle with maybe 100 or more prizes I was a bit disappointed with what was on offer on the majority of the other stalls this year. In my opinion there were far too many raffle style stalls where you had to rely purely on luck to get anything. I prefer to be able to buy items as - not being very lucky with raffles (or any form of gambling for that matter!) I often end up spending a lot of money and come away empty handed. I did have a go on the MacMillan Nurses stall though (and lost!) because that is a cause worth supporting.

My main disappointment this year though revolved around the AMAZING lady who sold home made Christmas cards to me last year. I got some genuine bargain cards last year at incredible prices and was looking to 'fill my boots (or stockings!)' again this year but though there was a card stall the cards were more expensive this time and not as nice so I didn't buy any. I do recall that the lady that sold me them last year was quite elderly so maybe she is not as fit as she was or no longer with us now...

The tea was great though! A really fresh and invigorating brew and the choccie biscuits were nice. I would have LOVED to have had a go in the raffle but it was not to be drawn until about 1pm and as I have lots of things to do at this time of year ( Reindeers to train & feed, Sleigh to get through another M.O.T etc) I wasn't going to be able to be there at that time. This is a common problem for me and spoils my enjoyment of a lot of Christmas Fairs. I know that you can write your name and number on the back of your tickets but I like to be able to choose my own prize if I win and you have to arrange to go and collect your prize from the venue as well, which can be tricky.

I DID get something (or someone!) that I LOVE at the Fair though and hope to get them to make a special appearance with me on the Jeff Belton Christmas Show on Conquest Hospital Radio on Christmas Eve! More about that in future posts! (lol)

Photo by Keith Leech

The next Christmas Fair I hope to get to is next Saturday the 23rd of November. It's the BIG ONE for me at St Clements Church in High Street and so I shall hope to pick up some wonderful cards and gifts there! I often 'bump into' people I only ever see at that event as well (hi Paul Bryant!) and am hoping that will be the case again this year so we can share a cuppa and a cake or something and have a good natter. The raffle at St Clements is always a good one but I have never won anything (yet) - mainly though I suspect because I am hard to catch by phone so even if I do win and they try to reach me I probably won't be in at the right time! Maybe this year I will try and stay to the end so that I can see the raffle drawn live!

Lastly, November the 30th sees the annual Christmas Fair at The Holy Redeemer in Upper Church Rd take place. That's another Fair I usually attend. It's not always been great for me as far as 'finding a bargain or a gift for someone' goes but the atmosphere is ALWAYS Christmassy and there are plenty of stalls of all sorts!

If you see me at any of the above do say hello!

'The Thursford Christmas Spectacular'

Well, they say that Christmas is the time of year to think about giving and I am very glad to say that a friend of mine has done a LOT of that in regard to me this year! The result of which being that I had an unexpected chance to visit the Thursford Christmas Spectacular last week!

Now, if you have not heard about the show before it is a three hour variety type stage show that features over 150 people and incorporates, music, dance, acrobatics & comedy in such a way as to paint as many beautiful, emotive and funny pictures of the festive season as possible. In many ways its a bit like crossing the Circus with 'Saturday Night At The London Palladium' and as such is a fun experience for all the family!

I went by coach with Clive Richardson Tours (thoroughly recommended!) and stayed in the Comfort Hotel in Great Yarmouth. Thursford is about a 75 minute drive from Great Yarmouth but the Spectacular has grown so popular now that it is hard to find a hotel much closer than that with enough room for a coach party at a reasonable cost. The staff at the hotel were lovely actually - full of fun and prepared to do anything for you AND the food was good - so whatever the inconvenience of the location I was well satisfied!

Sadly, you are not allowed to take any photos of the performance itself nor take any videos or record any sounds so I can't show you anything here but I will say that, as long as you can put up with being seated in fairly narrow seats for three hours (there is a 25 minute interval to help give your knees a break) then the show itself is a 10/10 experience and well worth a visit - especially as not all of the show takes place on the stage - some of the performers actually stand in the aisles and perform making it rather an 'immersive' show rather than a 'spectators only' one. I did make sure to ask if photos in the other areas on the site are permitted though and was told 'Yes' - hence the pics you can see here.

The Entrance To 'Fantasy Land'

The site itself has plenty of other attractions aside from the Spectacular including some lovely, Christmassy places to eat, a few gift-shops and a TOTAL delight for you and the kids in the shape of 'Fantasy Land' where you can meet Santa, get a glimpse into the work he and his elves do in the run up to Christmas and see a 10 minute Christmas cartoon in 4D! That's quite an experience I can tell you!

A Glimpse Inside 'Fantasy Land'

It does cost £5 to visit 'Fantasy Land' but that includes the 4D Cartoon experience. BIG kids will LOVE glimpsing Santa's little helpers at work, listening to his singing and dancing penguins and dodging the snowballs thrown at you by naughty Polar Bears! I have no idea though how much it costs to visit Santa as, obviously as I am he, the man is an imposter! (lol)

If you go to the afternoon performance it is well worth taking your time AFTER the show to soak up some of the festive atmosphere! The shops on-site close after half time in the Spectacular but once it gets dark the whole site becomes a festive fairyland and you will only take an age to get out of the car park anyway because of the amount of coaches trying to get away before the next set arrive for the evening performance. Kids will LOVE the twinkling Reindeers and the multi coloured bulbs that make the Christmas trees look AMAZING!

'The Thursford Spectacular Site After Dark'

If you are reading this in East Sussex I would also recommend you go with Clive Richardson Tours. While some of Clive's jokes may have 'retired from Christmas crackers' he is a great bloke and knows a lot of interesting things about places, buildings, traditions and the Spectacular itself that he tells you from time to time to make the traveling itself less dull. There is also a wonderful sense of community on Clive's coach and no 'nasty' technology on the backs of the seats to 'drag you back to the life you should be trying to get away from', either. No, everything about a Clive Richardson Tour is about 'being a part of it' and having fun as much as possible as a group and that is lovely, if like me, you are on your own and can use the camaraderie.

I know from speaking to, Clive that this tour gets booked up really quickly each year so my advice if you want to have the 2020 show to look forward to is to book your place a.s.a.p.

If you'd like to find out more - go to Clive's website here http://cliverichardsontours.com where you can download his latest brochure/s for free!

'Shop Local This Christmas!'

I always think that at Christmas time it is a good time to try and 'whip back in time' to a period like the 1980's when trips to your local The Town Centre or to Kings Road (if you are from Hastings) were all the rage as far as Christmas shopping was concerned.  Back then we all mainly 'shopped local' aside from the odd day trip to somewhere like Brighton or London and as a result probably knew most of our local shop keepers and traders. While online shopping is much more convenient it lacks that 'personal touch' and you really do feel good when you spend money in a local shop and see how happy your custom and support makes the owners!

This said, I do have to admit that there are some items these days that due to the loss of a lot of our High Street shops it is virtually impossible to buy 'the old fashioned way' now. One of the exceptions though are Christmas cards and in many cases (as you see here) if you take a walk around your local area you will find a good many fascinating and great value craft shops!

Take a look at these wonderful, beautifully made Christmas cards I picked up in Bexhill the other day, for example! Hand made out of really sturdy card they each feature really traditional, heartwarming Christmassy designs and have plenty of room for you to write a few words to loved ones in as well as a simple festive message inside. You won't get cards as nice nor anywhere near as good value (these were just 60p each!) in any of the 'chain' card shops you know and certainly not online!

The shop I bought them from is called 'Thingamjigz' and is run by two nice ladies who always greet you with a smile. It is in The Mall in Western Road and features a whole host of other cards, craft items and potential gift ideas so why not pop along, get yourself a bargain or two AND save yourself some money!

And yes, I do know that many of you no longer send 'proper' Christmas cards! You 'go digital' and see  one of those amazing 'Jacquie Lawson' animated cards instead. Well, I must admit they are fantastic and always nice to receive but in my experience you don't get the same 'festive feel' that you pick up when 'sorting out' who to send which one to that you definitely get when you interact with real people in a real life scenario! Postage costs are a 'passion killer' these days I grant you but you must admit surely that it is always special when you receive a hand written Christmas card from family or friends from afar rather than just an animated one in your inbox.

As I am very definitely 'old school' I will never give up on sending our real cards - even if the postage costs do make me wince! The next time you begrudge sending someone a real card or buying them a present just think for a moment about how your life would be if that person was not there anymore? Christmas is always a 'double edged sword' as far as thinking of people is concerned so make sure you do all you can while you can to let those in your life you care about that you love them is my motto!

I will understand though if you try not to befriend any new people who live in the U.S, Canada or Australia! (lol)

'Another Year Of Festive Blogging!'

Hi All,

Well, I am glad to say that my thoughts have turned to Christmas time quite early this year! Like a lot of you reading this now ( and moaning no doubt! ) I'm not a lover of the way in which the festive season seems to encroach ever more on the summer months these days but in my (probably) permanently unemployed state I need to prepare for Christmas a few months ahead for a number of reasons. Presents, cards, letters all want buying, making, or writing and then of course you have deadlines to meet for foreign cards to arrive on time. It can all become very stressful and out of control unless you get your act together and as I LOVE Christmas I HATE to miss anyone out or fail to send out even one festive wish!

2019 will not go down in history as a great year for me personally (nor will it for many of you I suspect!) but it has been an awful year for the U.K. in my opinion with regard to the 'Brexit' wrangling etc and so from my point of view ANY chance to escape thinking about/hearing about or watching stuff to do with the DREADED and totally ill-timed forthcoming General Election is great for me - hence my early blogging this year!

The GOOD news looking forwards to this December is that I hope to be on the radio again on Christmas Eve with my mate, Jeff Belton on Conquest Hospital Radio again.

Unbridled 'Nutterdom' On Last Years, Jeff Belton Show

If you missed last years 'manic' effort you missed a treat as Jeff and I had the whole of the Conquest Hospital Radio staff in uproar with our antics both on and off the air! I expect the same to happen this year as Jeff (with a little bit of help from me) has written a 'festive play' that we plan to record in advance of the show that should make you all chuckle and your kids will love it as well so tune in with the whole family!

As ever, Jeff and I are also going to 'cook up' an eclectic mix of Christmas tunes to while the morning away with so you will get plenty of chance to hear both familiar favourites and a few new and unusual songs you can seek out and add to your festive playlists for years to come - or buy the CD's and help the artists!!! (lol)

'Jolly' Jeff Belton!

Sadly, it looks highly unlikely this year that I will be able to return to my beloved Grassington for their 'Dickensian Festival' in December. The coach operator that I have used to make the 'pilgrimage' the last two years has dropped the tour from their brochure this time around and while I have found two other Coach companies who are going to the festival from this area both are only booked in for a 2 hour stay.

Grassington's Own FABULOUS Dynamic Duo!

That may be great for those who just want to look around the small marketplace and have a cup of tea but for someone like me who wants to soak up the UNIQUE atmosphere that only Grassington can provide it is woefully inadequate! We had over 5 hours the first year I went and 4 hours last year and both times I would have liked longer!

Still, I WILL be with all of you who do travel to Grassington (and who take part in the festival itself) in spirit If I can't make it this time. None of the coach tours stay near enough to the festival to make getting a taxi back to my hotel viable either and (sadly) my finances cannot stretch to much these days as I am pretty much living off my savings as it is!

ANYWAY, there IS a similar festival planned at Rye (December 7th) and that I can reach by public transport from here so I will probably make my first visit to that this year (weather permitting). Rye is a lovely, old fashioned place and an ideal setting for such an event - especially as they are banning cars from the main street that day!

Other than the above and my usual trip to the Christmas Fair at St Clements Church in the Old Town of Hastings I don't know what Christmas will bring this year? I am always up for anything festive so will keep my eyes peeled and report back to you anything exciting I find out about to (hopefully) either get you in the Christmas spirit or encourage you to get involved in it yourself!

Right then, that's my 'opening gambit' for this years blogging!

Back with more soon.