We cut down the tree… saw a rainbow…. dragged the tree through the mud
risked the guard geese… loaded the tree…hey ho job done!
Funny how a day can work out. The usual crew (Members of the Wye Business Association and Friends) who turn out each year to put up the Christmas Lights in our Village did so once again in Church Street bleary eyed at 8am with the usual rain pouring down upon them. On cue, John Morris a true native of Wye, arrived with his usual banter, joined by his son Colin. Long time friend farmer Richard Long, another true local, arrived the same as he always has done, with great loyalty.
Pulling together for the Community in such matters comes naturally to some locals, it is after all a legacy left from those who have gone before them, in fact such events have always been a village way of life.
Work usually starts with the putting up of the Christmas Tree at the lower end of Bridge Street whilst others concentrate on unraveling long strands of Christmas festoons in Church Street. No one bargained for the fact that by 8.30am our Christmas tree had not arrived. By 9am it still had not appeared and by 9.30am it was clear it was definitely not going to arrive. Oh dear!
The feeling of despair was helped by Lee and her two delightful little girls who popped their heads round their front door in Church Street and presented the Christmas light workers with a cups of tea and a mince pie!
Never mind. Wye without a Christmas tree? Unheard of until today. Today was in fact the only day the tree could go up due to the availability of helpers. Fortunately, very fortunately, our usual merry band was joined by the same band of younger willing gentlemen who had only a couple of weeks before, taken on the job of lighting up the Crown for our Bonfire night.
A quick phone call to Perry Court secured us the gift of a tree (Thank you Perry Court). Nick Williams our retained firefighter rushed home to get his chain saw and Lenny Jeffries dashed home to fetch his truck.
What followed was a great deal of fun for all. A trip to Perry Court along the A28 in convoy, led to a clump of Christmas trees across a very muddy field. To say it was a quagmire would be an understatement. Squelching in the thick mud past a gaggle of guard geese who watched suspiciously, the newly formed group cut down and carried the 15′ tree across the field. Not before they caught sight of an incredible rainbow which actually ended in the field beyond. Everyone being far too busy to look for the pot of gold!
Plastered in mud the tree team arrived back in Wye where John Morris, Richard Long and others had waited patiently for their return. This was the coming together of long term community members and those who have not lived here quite so long, proving that when people come together the impossible can be achieved!
A final last push of community strength saw the tree heaved up into position which was soon garlanded with Christmas lights. Such achievements create a thirst and the only course of action was for the now expanded Christmas light team to adjourn to the Kings Head and enjoy each others company.
Christmas Street Party Church Street This Coming Friday 4th December – 6pm – 8pm !
THE METHODIST HALL WILL BE OPEN DURING THE PARTY – DO PAY A VISIT AS THE WYE ARTS ASSOCIATION WILL BE IN THERE PLUS ONE OR TWO OTHERS WITH THEIR STALLS!
