Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2007-12-17 00:11:42 - Graham Ellis
It's mid December and we're back from a record shopping session at Tesco. Life has been just so busy of late that we haven't had the time to do replenish our supplies of tins and packets and the meals we've been having have been more weird, more wonderful, and more eaten-out or take-away than I care to think over recent weeks. So what started off as one trolley became two when I nipped out for a second one, and we commandeered a third one to help with the goods once scanned and bagged. Have you noticed how goods seem to start filling a trolley, then not go back in once you're past the till, and expand even further when they get in sight of your freezer at home?
"Shopping for Christmas?" asks the young gentleman on the checkout as we banter with him, dropping a large tub of finest Brandy Sauce onto the floor, to burst and spread all over the corridor through which customers pass to leave the store. Yes, and no. I'm sure that we won't be doing another major shop of this sort until 2007 has become 2008, until the days are getting longer again.
It's been feeling a little Christmas like for weeks already this year - that's most unusual for us as we seem to work up until the last minute then with a final flourish finish the last course, say "Goodbye" to the last customer and head off to our own world. But this year is going to be different - the lights of the Christmas fayre in Ljubljana the other week were the start ...
Decorations are our closer to home too. In the nearby town of Devizes, the Wadworth Brewery is always tastefully decorated in December and makes a cheering picture on the corner.
And of course Santa comes to town. Here he is - two weeks ago now - traveling to Melksham to turn on the Christmas lights here. There's a certain magic about Santa; we can always rely on him to mysteriously appear, as he did that day in Swindon when one or two of us were starting to get just a little concerned that we had misunderstood his whereabouts for the day.
But it's not really about Santa, is it? It's about the children; see their faces light up as Santa came down the carriage and stopped for a chat with each of them.
Here in Melksham, the lights go on to top all other lighting displays, and the people come from far and wide to see the lights and give generously to the collection for a local charity.
Acquaintances and business colleagues meet up, socially, for perhaps the only time in the year - here's Melksham Chamber of Commerce, last week, at the Three Magpies. "A great time had by all".
And it's our customers too. On Friday, we ate out in Ashers in Melksham amongst the festivities. Another group of wonderful people who we're blessed to have visit us. Not so flamboyant as the Melksham decorated house, but a warmth and an enjoyable course that confirms our "come as a student, leave as a friend"
But the run up to Christmas isn't over yet for this year - quite apart from two more courses (Monday to Thursday) this week, it's going to be a little different for us over Christmas.
We're not shutting out the world. We're not putting the shutters up. Yes, we are celebrating Christmas, partly thanks to that magnificent shopping session that I started this piece telling you about. But also because we're now - literally - "open all hours". We're delighted to have guests with us right over Christmas and Boxing Day - indeed we even have Christmas day checkins - and we'll have family around and welcome our guests too. And - do you know - I'm looking forward to Christmas this year.
It's been feeling a little Christmas like for weeks already this year - that's most unusual for us as we seem to work up until the last minute then with a final flourish finish the last course, say "Goodbye" to the last customer and head off to our own world. But this year is going to be different - the lights of the Christmas fayre in Ljubljana the other week were the start ...
Decorations are our closer to home too. In the nearby town of Devizes, the Wadworth Brewery is always tastefully decorated in December and makes a cheering picture on the corner.
And of course Santa comes to town. Here he is - two weeks ago now - traveling to Melksham to turn on the Christmas lights here. There's a certain magic about Santa; we can always rely on him to mysteriously appear, as he did that day in Swindon when one or two of us were starting to get just a little concerned that we had misunderstood his whereabouts for the day.
But it's not really about Santa, is it? It's about the children; see their faces light up as Santa came down the carriage and stopped for a chat with each of them.
Here in Melksham, the lights go on to top all other lighting displays, and the people come from far and wide to see the lights and give generously to the collection for a local charity.
Acquaintances and business colleagues meet up, socially, for perhaps the only time in the year - here's Melksham Chamber of Commerce, last week, at the Three Magpies. "A great time had by all".
And it's our customers too. On Friday, we ate out in Ashers in Melksham amongst the festivities. Another group of wonderful people who we're blessed to have visit us. Not so flamboyant as the Melksham decorated house, but a warmth and an enjoyable course that confirms our "come as a student, leave as a friend"