Christmas Lunch

In December our village once again held its biannual Christmas Lunch. If that sounds rather dull to you then we should tell those who did not come that is is one of those very special occasions that brings us together and makes us the community we are.  Special this year were the presence of three wonderfully well behaved and enthusiastic children whose eyes became as big as church steeples when Father Christmas arrived with just sufficient sugar rush to keep them hopping till Christmas Eve.

Also special about this occasion is the charge per person, only five pounds per person with children coming for free! This slight of hand is managed by the Parochial Church Council who organise the event and are gratefully subsidised by local charities. So hats off to them for more than beating inflation !

Imagine this.....you arrive and have a glass of very nice fizz put into your hand, you mingle and greet friends and meet new people, who in this atmosphere soon become new friends.  We are called to order and there at each place is some wonderful pate served with a nice garnish, dressing and crusty bread. Guests bring their own preferred drinks so some have their beer, others copious amounts of wine while others go for the Tizer option. Horses for courses.

The pate consumed and we get called up to select our main course. This year lovely hot casseroles of chicken, or beef or turkey and a vegetarian option for those of that kidney - if that is not the wrong expression ! Sprouts ( of course!) carrots and potatos are in abundance and the noise level beginning to go up and up.

Next come the puds , trifles, apple crumbles and so on, a rich selection. Once seconds and thirds have been consumed then Father Christmas arrives with impeccable timing and after he has done his stuff David announces a game of Pass the Parcel. A large well wrapped parcel was placed at the head of each table and the music began with people tearing off layer after confounded layer as the parcels began to lose size. At this point some notable rowdy's, perhaps thinking it was Mess Night, began hurling scrunched up paper from table to table ! No way to behave ! Finally the secret centres  were revealed as Terry's Chocolate Oranges and amazingly the last people to unwrap them happened to be the children!

It is a great way to begin the real run up to Christmas, wish ones friends and neighbours the compliments of the season as well as have a darned good meal for a fiver. And you don't even have to wash up if you are not Linda Cawston, Heather Phillips, Judy Wilson or David Taylor.

You might have even won a glorious Christmas Hamper except that was won this year by a slightly bashful (for once) Martin Kinna.

As ever the moving of tables, the decorations, the table flowers, the cooking of all the food, the planning and the clearing up was done by what Sidney Greenstreet would describe as "the usual suspects" . Let us give them a rousing cheer and yet another for all of us who were there. May this new year be brighter, happier and healthier for us all !