onionbagblog

It wasn’t quite the snow drift scenes that greeted the Great Wivenhoe Turn On of 2010, but the drizzle for 2011 was from a damp squid as the Christmas lights of St Mary’s made an appearance along with the Winter Fayre and late night shopping.

For a town that you would be hard pressed to sell to tourists as a retail park [urgh] Thursday evening in Wivenhoe was something of a mini-mart marvel. The walk down to the bottom of the town was illuminated by the recently turned on lights.

If the lovely angels of St Mary’s don’t turn you on, then you ‘aint got no switches, my friends.

It was encouraging to see relatively new traders such as Curiosity and Design Intervintage attracting passing trade. A party atmosphere was present in both shops, no doubt spurred on by the very generous offerings of mulled wine.

Speaking of which, no surprises to see that the Taylor Wimpy corporate endorsed free mulled wine and mince pies were snaffled up faster than, um, a Taylor Wimpey town house out on the flood plains.

A queue to enter St Mary’s soon formed. That can’t be something that the good Rev Irwin gets to see every Sunday morning. There is a message in there hidden away between the mulled wine and the masses flocking to t Mary’s. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em etc, which is exactly what the good Rev was doing with his meet ‘n greet and mulled wine guzzling.

Inside St Mary’s and a shuffle system was in place to navigate the many stalls of local artisans and interest groups. There was a wave that carried you up and down each aisle. Being Wivenhoe, the wave was at a pace that never quite seemed to reach its peak, but kept bobbing and weaving from entrance to exist.

Shame I couldn’t linger for any longer around the lovely cake stall.

The incredibly gifted Angie Diggens was delivering the sermon from the old lectern. I have broad sympathies and alliances with men and women of the cloth, but you can’t beat some classic songs from the shows to leave you with that uplifting spirit.

The panto crowd was on fine form. Oh no they weren’t! Oh yes… blah bah blah.

If the light hearted sales technique is any indicator for the delights that are coming our way in the New Year, Robin Hood looks like being another Wivenhoe classic. Tickets now officially on sale etc, etc – the Post Office along the High Street is your friend.

Up one aisle, down another, and then @AnnaJCowen and I came face to face with Father Christmas. The old fella looked absolutely splendid and was entertaining the little ankle biters who were hanging on to his every word – and beard. It’s not false, dontchaknow.

Fine work, Sir.

And with the Wivenhoe rain still doing its best to dampen the spirits, we departed St Mary’s en route to the Legion to pick up some Church Ale. The wet weather only added to the community spirit. If half the town can turn out in the constant downpour to look forward to the coming weeks ahead, Christmas 2011 looks like being one to savour.

Splendid.