‘Advent calendar’ is a true Christmas treat
Local groups and businesses pull out all the stops to create a wonderful series of imaginative displays across town throughout the festive season
NEWBURY has taken part in a Swedish-style Living Advent Calendar for the fourth year, with many festive windows and displays revealed throughout the town between December 1 and Christmas Eve.
On each day, a different exhibit was unveiled at a local home, business or premises, with a number provided alongside each one to create a ‘calendar’.
Among those participating this year – as they have in previous editions of the calendar – were Shaw House, Newbury Spring Festival, Newbury Library and West Berkshire Museum.
Also contributing was LK Hair, showcasing its Christmas-themed hair extensions, St Nicolas Church, which deployed its choir for an evening of carols and No 96 Furnishings shop, which laid out a jumbo-sized gingerbread house on the night of the Victorian Christmas Fayre.
The event began with florist Willow & Blooms’ display featuring an array of decorative birds.
Micropub Cow & Cask debuted a comedy skit and Ugly Duckling Pottery invited local children to a one-off pottery painting event.
Lockdown Wood in Goldwell Park – planted to commemorate the lives lost in the coronavirus pandemic – lit up for a carolling session by the Sing the World choir.
There was also a range of food- and wellness-themed offerings from the Secret Garden, Colline’s Kitchen and Educafe.
Households throughout town also put on a show, with a red dragon lantern, upside-down Christmas tree, Caga Tio and circus scene on display.
For the first time this year, a primary school contributed to the Living Advent Calendar,
as St Joseph’s gave readings at the site of their nativity scene.
Organiser Bridgette Lawrence said: “The striking thing about the Newbury Living Advent Calendar is that, year after year, the calibre of the windows and doors remains extremely high and the creativity and imagination of local people seems to know no bounds.”
The event was held in support of three good causes, selected in appreciation of their work in the West Berkshire community – homelessness charity Loose Ends, Eight Bells for Mental Health and the Newbury Soup Kitchen.
A JustGiving page has been set up for members of the public to donate towards these organisationsmand this can be found at bit.ly/32lQMsa
Many of the displays can still be viewed in Newbury, and more information can be found at bit.ly/3ehoguf
Photos courtesy of Bob Day.
The creativity and imagination of local people seems to know no bounds