'Nearly Christmas Fair Time!'

Well, its November tomorrow folks! Not long now until the 'Christmas Fair' season starts and the present hunting and festive thinking starts in earnest.

I have been searching online for information on exactly when my favourite Christmas Fair of all at St Clement's Church, Croft Rd, Hastings Old Town is taking place this year but without success? I will be gutted if it turns out that there isn't going to be one this year as attending the Fair always 'fires up' my enthusiasm for Christmas and gets me into 'full throttle' as far as thinking of others goes.

In today's day and age it is ever more important for local communities to make an effort to advertise their events online as it is now possible to attract visitors from far and wide if you have an event alluring enough - the days of simply 'putting up a poster in the post office or local newsagents' have gone...

In a way I'm sad that this is the case. Community used to be a 'local' word and one which pulled everyone together in an area. Now the word has 'global' conortations to it and that rather dilutes things in my opinion. I guess I'm just a bit too old fashioned...

Ironically, bearing in mind my last statement, I DID find a good place to check for information on forthcoming Christmas Fairs in your area whilst searching online. Stallfinder.com has listings of local events right across the country and I have cobbled together the list below of upcoming Christmas events and Fairs for your diary from the site...  

Forthcoming Christmas Fairs & Events 2015

Nov 7th - Battle Christmas Shopping Market - Battle Memorial Hall 10AM - 3 PM (free entry)

Nov 7th - Brighton Christmas Gift Fair Spectacular - Brighton Racecourse - over 130 stalls (£3 Admission)

Nov 14th - Christmas Fair - The Lounge, Blind Veterans U.K. Greenways, Ovingdean, Brighton 1PM - 4PM (free entry)

Nov 14th - Stylish Christmas Fair -  The American Express Community Stadium, Village Way, Falmer, Brighton. 2 Day Event (Admission £5 - Free  entry if you pay Sat on Sun)

Nov 20th - Christmas Shopping Night - Heathfield, St Richards Pre-School, 7PM-9PM
Dec 4th - Bexhill Late Night Christmas Market - Western Rd, Bexhill - 4PM-9PM
Dec 5th - Battle Christmas Shopping Market - Battle Memorial Hall 10AM - 3 PM (free entry)
Dec 5th - Poppinghole Christmas Fair - Poppinghole Farm,  Robertsbridge - 10AM-4PM
Dec 5th - St Michael's Hospice Cooden Beach Christmas Market - Cooden Beach Hotel - (Admission £1)
Dec 10th - Battle Late Night Christmas Shopping Market - Battle Memorial Hall 5PM - 9 PM (free entry)

Sadly, I'm a fair way behind with my Christmas shopping at the moment! I HAVE made a start and managed to secure a few prezzies for some of those on the list but I'm behind schedule I think for my Dec 1st deadline. 'Halloween' night tonight so the next 'calendar reminder' is Guy Fawkes Night on Nov 5th - time soon goes if you don't keep an eye on it you know!

'It's Too Early To Talk About Christmas They Say!'

Since my last post I have been getting quite a bit of flack for even thinking of the festive season in October HA HA.

While I have every sympathy with those who chastise me for 'talking about Christmas when we haven't even had Guy Fawkes Night yet', it is a fact of life that for a lot of people (including me) on low incomes it is imperative to start thinking of Christmas shopping as early as October. I know quite a few of you start shopping for next years gifts even as early as the January sales but I do try to get my 'Christmas gift list mojo working' around this time in order to give me as much time to a) find the money for the items I need and b) to ensure I don't get into a mad panic at the last minute. December is always a special time of the year with all the decorations and Christmas lights and so I love to be free of stress and be able to simply 'think good thoughts' during that month and enjoy the Christmas fairs, activities and the general build up.

I HAVE made a small start to my christmas gift list this year but its slow progress at the moment. With this in mind I've been browsing on Amazon.co.uk and have found a few new Christmas albums out shortly to tell you about!

Now, what guy wouldn't like to wake up to Kylie Minogue in his (or hers!) Christmas stocking(s)! Well, Kylie has a new Christmas album due out on November the 13th simply called 'Kylie Christmas'.  The album looks like being the usual combination of old festive favourites and originals and will be available in both a normal CD and a CD 'Deluxe' version featuring a DVD.

The album includes a duet with Frank Sinatra apparently! This quite a feat seeing as 'old blue eyes' has been dead now for a while but you know how it is these days - modern technology can have you singing along with anyone in a jiffy (not fair to the deceased artists in my opinion though). I've never been a huge Kylie fan but it will be interesting to see what the album is like as Christmas music is about more than the artist who is singing and if a record makes me feel festive i'll buy it!

Now, one lady who always makes me feel festive is the lovely, Kim Wilde. I used to have a HUGE crush on her when I was at school and so I'm glad to see that on November the 6th a 'Deluxe' version of her excellent 'Wilde Winter Songbook' album will be released. As with the Kylie set, the 'Deluxe' version comes with a second disc DVD and considering the first disc also includes a few 'extra tracks' Kim is going to be on my own shopping list again this year.

The extra tracks on the album appear to include a cover of 'Last Christmas' by Wham, a cover of 'Keeping The Dream Alive' by Freiheit, two new Christmas songs and a couple of remixes. Hmm, not sure the remix route is such a good idea Kim but I'd gladly discuss the subject with you under the mistletoe if you like! HA HA

There are also new Christmas sets out soon from Peter Andre (Oct 30th), The Overtones (27th November) and yet another compilation called 'Ultimate Christmas' (Oct 30th) which is a 4 CD budget release featuring a wildly eclectic selection of artists!

Finally, if you want to take a real trip back to the 1970's The Osmonds have a 'new' Christmas album out as well on the 13th of November. The blurb on Amazon suggests it is a new recording but the sleeve makes me wonder if its not a re-release? Anyway, if The Osmond boys are you're thing (or were) then its well worth checking out...

Oh well, back to thinking of October, Guy Fawkes night and all that is to come before we get into Chimneys, Reindeer and my annual dose of 'Arthur Christmas' (they STILL haven't released the game!)

Toodle pip!

' Hello Again & Kindling The Festive Flame'

Well, well, well, 2015 has not been a year full of cheer & happiness, has it? So much discontent everywhere, displaced victims of war and financial hardship around the world – it hardly seems fair to think of Christmas and of fairy tale scenes, snow and flickering lights…

This blog though is an escape for me from the real world (as I hope it is for you) and so this year again I will be serving up a lot of festive flavours both current and from the past to help your build up to the New Year seem brighter.

I have already compiled another Christmas Quiz to test your knowledge of all things Christmassy and have recorded a very silly new Christmas video single that I hope will bring a smile to your face. There will be posts on both of these nearer to the big day so check back here often!

As well as all this I hope to outdo my efforts last year in spreading Christmas cheer about the place via my ‘Thank You’ card campaign. Its often the little unexpected surprises that make the difference to whether a Christmas is a good or great one and I intend to try and make a personal difference to many strangers experience of Christmas this year.

As we are still only in October at the moment, I’m not going to get too festive on you just yet. Right now is NOT the time for shops to be pushing Christmas down our throats and I have no intention of doing that either. I simply love to start writing this blog from the middle of October because doing so helps me to put some kindling wood on my own personal inner fire. The Christmas spirit is something you have to gradually encourage to grow inside you and cultivation of that frame of mind can sometimes take a bit of doing I can tell you!

Luckily, however bad things get, I have plenty of happy childhood memories of Christmas and the nearer we get to December the 25^th the more memories of past happiness returns to my conscientiousness…

'All Over For Another Year'

How quickly Christmas passes once it arrives is always something that brings home to me just how fragile all of our lives are. There is a valuable lesson in that realisation somewhere, don't you think?
Thankfully, this time around I can look back on essentially a good Christmas. With much sadness overshadowing it this season I am proud of myself for the way in which I did everything possible to enter into the spirit regardless and even more proud of the effort I put into my little Christmas campaign. I know Christmas isn't technically over until early Jan but for me it is really only Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day - after that just seems like the run up to the new year.

The pictures you see here are of some of the gifts I got in my Christmas stocking or carrier bag from my friends. Simple gifts most but so thoughtful and accompanied by copious amounts of love I so wish I had taken some photos before unwrapping things.

Did my traditional bet on the horses this year today. I usually have a go on Boxing Day but my punting pal, Paul V, was working so I held fire until today instead. Different day - same boring result though, I'm afraid! My horse was touched off in the big race by 9/1 shot 'Emperor's Choice' by a short head at 11/1! Oh well, its not the end of the world - just a bit of festive fun but I do wish I could be lucky ONE year at Christmas time...

Oh well, that's it for this blog this year! I hope to return in 2015 (God willing) and wish you all a very happy New Year's Eve. Do enjoy yourselves but PLEASE no snogging the boss' wife and getting sacked, NO drink and driving (it might not just be you who gets killed) and refrain from STREAKING or dancing naked in the town fountain! HA HA Cold water is VERY cold in December and spending Jan 1st in a cell is not good!

Love to all xxx

'A Very Emotional Christmas Day'

Well, we've made it! Christmas Day!

I hope you have all had a great day and gotten plenty of joy giving, receiving and eating!

I myself have had a good but emotional day. Worked my socks off this morning changing my bed linen, hoovering my room and half the house and sorting out stuff to throw away or give to the charity shop. I was really sad to have to give in and get rid of a load of old video films and home recorded stuff I had stored in the cupboard down stairs but I knew I had to do it. After that I had a rest and watched 'The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher' on telly and loved every minute of the Victorian era detective story. To be quite honest, I think I have more in common with the Victorians than I do the modern day people and I guess because of that I love anything that depicts life at that time.

Had a fantastic Christmas meal after that! My Dad loves Beef for Christmas rather than Turkey and I don't mind that because I often go out to meals and get-togethers before the big day and get my fill of Turkey. After that my brother turned up with his two kids and it was time for the present opening side of things. I got to open LOADS of presents this year! If you remember, I bought 15 presents to open at my favourite Christmas fair in November. I got some great things including a leather journal and bath stuff set in a nice white box, masses of chocolate of various shapes and sizes, soaps, fragrances and even a lovely Christmas tablecloth!

Things were to get very emotional though when I opened some gifts from friends...

My friends, Sally & Ro got me a lovely, Christmas replica of one of those old candle holders (with a candle) from the era when Scrooge was invented. It has a flickering yellow light for the flame of the candle and is the kind of thing I would have instantly bought myself had I known about its existence. Something like that is simply the PERFECT present and I will cherish it for years! I even deliberately turned out all of the lights in the house and used it to walk up the stairs to my bedroom tonight for realism!

Then there was the Christmas stocking I unwrapped from Stephanie, Simon & Solana. Inside a real, woollen Christmas stocking they had put lots of gifts - many individually wrapped and tagged.  The stocking was full of traditional things and fun items. There was a tangerine, some nuts, some chocolate tree decorations in the toe, a very patriotic mug and coaster set in the middle and other sweet gifts. I felt overwhelmed opening all of the items and felt like bursting into tears. Oh how I wish now I had taken some pictures or footage of the stocking BEFORE I started on it. I could seriously kick myself for not doing that now as if I had every time I'd watch the video I would feel loved all over again. I don't get to feel that very often in this world and have difficulty emotionally dealing with it when I do but the pain I feel afterwards is always worth it for the joy feeling loved brings to me.

My friends, Frank & Linda (Bin & Bean) also did something similar only their 'goodies' were housed in a shiny drawstring Christmas carrier bag. They also gave me some fabulous, fun gifts including two lovely chocolate Christmas figures and a special Christmas pen that lights up. Inside the bag they had put four or five Christmas cards - each with a lovely, warm Christmas message...

My friend Jan sent me a 70's pop quiz book along with a lovely message and I shall have loads of fun tackling all of the questions and seeing how many I can get right!

I have to confess that the fact my friends have taken so much trouble to give such thoughtful gifts got all too much for me in the end and while e mailing my thanks to them I had a good cry. Men should never feel bad about having a good bulb. Far better to show your emotions and be real than to hide them and fool nobody that's what I say...

I have also been thinking a lot today of my Nan. My first Christmas without her in my life has ironically been a good one in a lot of ways. I am as scared as hell about the future but I guess I'm no different to many of you in that. Life has been pretty good to me in a lot of ways but as far as relationships it has been cruel. My family and friends are all I have to sustain me here and on days like today I realise more than ever just how much they mean to me.

Thankfully, on the evidence of today, the feeling is mutual...

Merry Christmas xxx

'Community Spirit!'

Here are a few photos that serve as proof of my success in spreading the spirit of christmas about the place in 2014. It really is heartwarming every time I open another card from a person or family I don't know but have shared Christmas with this year via my 'Thank You' campaign.

Christmas always comes around so fast once the calendar says 'December' and I have run out of time to do more cards and spread even more jolliness but even so I can at least pat myself on the back for trying to do something to make a difference this year. I think I will make 'operation spread Christmas spirit' an annual event from now on and will aim right now to DOUBLE the amount of cards I have delivered this year in 2015. Who knows, I might just end up starting a trend?

'Success!'

I am chuffed to bits to report that I have now received FIVE Christmas cards in the post in reply to the 'THANK YOU' cards I have secretly been popping through people's letterboxes under cover of night! I have one last batch of 15 or so to 'deliver' before the big day yet and will have delivered almost 50 when I've done that. I have been all around Hastings in the last week or so and almost got eaten by a dog who heard me creeping through a gate with a squeaky handle on it up on the West Hill last night. It has given me a lot of pleasure this year trying to spread the spirit of Christmas and the exercise along has helped to lift my spirits at a time I have inevitably been thinking of my Nan and feeling a little more lonely than usual. I know I say this every year but PLEASE do make the effort to check in on those who may be alone this Christmas. A short chat and/or a culpa can make such a difference to a persons day - in fact, that you bothered to call means a lot to a lonely person. I am fortunate to have Mum & Dad still at 49 and I have some truly wonderful friends but there is nothing like having a 'someone special' to snuggle up to in front of a log fire at Christmas, is there? Oh well, maybe I will find that person myself in 2015?

If you like Hastings and want to see what my home town looks like at the moment, take a look at this video of mine...