Archive | December 2015

Dec 17th | Christmas Social

Dec17

As it happened this year, our Christmas Social was held in the Library, which initially seemed rather a plain and formal setting for such an event.

However, it proved not to be so. The tables were decked out in finery with colourful tablecloths, festive floral arrangements, bulging crackers and pretty LED lights; and the counter positively groaned under the weight of the Christmas party buffet – dishes tastefully and temptingly set out with coloured napkins and paper plates to hand. Our entertainer for the evening, Gordon Blackwood, set the atmosphere for us with his selection of songs from the 60’s and 70’s, and a number of us even got up and had a bit of a bop to some of those tunes! Together with the odd glass of wine from the Village Bar, our Secret Santa gifts and Christmas crackers containing an extra surprise, a fun evening was had by all!

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Dec 3rd | Christmas Meal at Acorn Village

Dec3

For our Christmas meal out this year we decided to return to the restaurant at Acorn Village, Mistley, where we had such a warm welcome last year.

We weren’t disappointed, either! The food was good, served in the Oak Room which looked very Christmassy with all the decorations up, and the welcome from the friendly staff was just as warm as last time! After the meal there was a chance to buy something from the charity stall selling a variety of seasonal goods in aid of current Acorn Village projects, and then we were escorted by a friendly gnome to a Winter Wonderland!

This took the form of a magical grotto, entered through an avenue of snowy white trees, which was inhabited by all kinds of mystical creatures and things! These included a wishing pool wreathed in mist, a twisted, gnarled tree that spun round to become a twisted, gnarled witch, a dark, mysterious cave, a pure white unicorn appearing from the undergrowth, and scariest of all a giant green dragon which breathed smoke!

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All these weird and wonderful works of art had been created by the Acorn Village Community, using re-cycled and donated items and scraps, and the overall effect was one of wonderment and magic! The Grotto was open to the public on weekdays leading up to Christmas, and several local schoolchildren were also booked in to visit it. There was no charge for admission, but Acorn Village charity boxes were by the entrance doors for voluntary donations.

After our walk through the Grotto we were back down to earth with a bump, out into the damp and the chill of a breezy December evening and thence home to our own familiar surroundings.

If you fancy exploring new horizons why not take a look at our website, or better still, take the plunge and come as a guest to one of our meetings in 2016? You will be very welcome!