onionbagblog

There couldn’t have been a more serene, seasonal setting for the big Wivenhoe turn on down towards the lower end of the town on Thursday evening. With twelve hours of continuous estuary snow, the churchyard at St Mary’s was a white blanket as Mayor Brian Sinclair flicked the switch and illuminated Wivenhoe.

Wonderful. Um, what do we all do now? Go home?

Unlikely. The turning on of the Wivenhoe Christmas lights was the signal for the start of the late night shopping experience around St Mary’s. Many of the local retailers and restaurants had braved the elements, truly opening all hours after a demanding day of trading.

There is a special feel to these town events. As was the case with the wonderful WORC fireworks, folks just seem to know what is happening in Wivenhoe and turn out downtown to celebrate.

The local Broad Lane Future campaign was wise to this, and had a marquee presence in the grounds of St Mary’s. This is precisely what the mystery Mr X financial backer means when he talks of engaging the whole community and asking for feedback on the proposed site plans.

Inside St Mary’s and the congestion really started. Most men and women of the cloth would pay to see such a packed church. In Wivenhoe however it works the other way, as we part with our pounds and our pennies once within.

This wasn’t a timely shaking of the collection plate, but a simple boost to the local economy as many local artisans proudly sold their goods. The range covered watercolours to reindeer food. I came into my element by the cake stall. Christmas is coming and Jase is getting fat.

A handshake here from our lovely Mr Mayor, as well as a personal welcome and greeting from the Reverend Erwin Lammens. All that was missing was a seat on Santa’s knee. The queues for the funny fella with the red robes stretched back all the way down the east wing of the church. I hope there were no sinners within St Mary’s.

I had a brief chat with the fine folk of the Wivenhoe pantomime. Oh no you didn’t! Oh yes I did!

Um, yeah, I did actually, and it is worth reminding you that Jack and the Beanstalk will run from the 19th - 22nd January at the William Loveless Hall - where else?

He’s behind you!

Whoops - I did well to duck the kids in the churchyard who were enjoying an impromptu snowball fight as I made my way out of St Mary’s. The uplifting tunes of the ADP Theatre School were still within my head, and so I was on something of a high. Any other day and I would have risen to the churchyard snowball challenge.

So yeah - the switching on of the Wivenhoe Christmas lights. If that don’t turn you on, then you ‘aint got no switches, baby.