Christmas 2012
Happily 2012 seems to be ending with improved fortune for some friends - a good omen for 2013 hopefully! To keep the celebratory character of the mood, I thought I'd show a few photos from Christmas here in Oxford, UK.
On the Sunday before Christmas, I went to a traditional carol service in a church in a neighbouring parish (this meant a bicycle ride of a mile or so but, as it wasn't raining for once, the journey was enjoyable). The church was decorated with evergreen foliage (such as holly, ivy and pine) and was lighted by candles.
When I arrived, there were bells ringing in the church tower (there is a team of people to pull the bell ropes in a set sequence - looks difficult to co-ordinate!). Then the organ took over and the service started, a mixture of readings, songs sung by the choir and carols for everyone to sing. After the service, the robed clergy in the church doorway looked a bit like a living Christmas card; this was the view from the place where I had chained my bicycle:
On Christmas eve, I scurried about filling up fridges to feed all the guests for Christmas. There seemed to be wine at every turn!
Ah, the union jack flag in the background reminds me that 2012 was both our queen's diamond jubilee and the occasion of London's hosting the Olympic games. I bought a couple of new tree decorations on the union jack theme! Here's one of them:
The tree itself was hard to photograph decently. I don't know why this should be as it is a very nice tree and I have a better camera this year >_< Anyway, this shot will give you a rough idea of the beautiful alien standing in its living green in my drawing room:
Of course, no season of joy and giving would be complete without a certain Japanese person! I had the surprise of two presents of this nature from two different English friends so here, seasonally yours, is the cake, the icing on the cake, and the workout in the gym after the cake to burn off the calories: omnipresent Gackt!
(Oh, the hat's mine, by the way - not his)
I'll finish with a photo of the window of a local supermarket whose staff had imaginatively used a delivery of red, white and black Coke cans for their display and greeting:
Hope you've enjoyed these few glimpses of an English Christmas. Happy New Year!
On the Sunday before Christmas, I went to a traditional carol service in a church in a neighbouring parish (this meant a bicycle ride of a mile or so but, as it wasn't raining for once, the journey was enjoyable). The church was decorated with evergreen foliage (such as holly, ivy and pine) and was lighted by candles.
When I arrived, there were bells ringing in the church tower (there is a team of people to pull the bell ropes in a set sequence - looks difficult to co-ordinate!). Then the organ took over and the service started, a mixture of readings, songs sung by the choir and carols for everyone to sing. After the service, the robed clergy in the church doorway looked a bit like a living Christmas card; this was the view from the place where I had chained my bicycle:
On Christmas eve, I scurried about filling up fridges to feed all the guests for Christmas. There seemed to be wine at every turn!
Ah, the union jack flag in the background reminds me that 2012 was both our queen's diamond jubilee and the occasion of London's hosting the Olympic games. I bought a couple of new tree decorations on the union jack theme! Here's one of them:
The tree itself was hard to photograph decently. I don't know why this should be as it is a very nice tree and I have a better camera this year >_< Anyway, this shot will give you a rough idea of the beautiful alien standing in its living green in my drawing room:
Of course, no season of joy and giving would be complete without a certain Japanese person! I had the surprise of two presents of this nature from two different English friends so here, seasonally yours, is the cake, the icing on the cake, and the workout in the gym after the cake to burn off the calories: omnipresent Gackt!
(Oh, the hat's mine, by the way - not his)
I'll finish with a photo of the window of a local supermarket whose staff had imaginatively used a delivery of red, white and black Coke cans for their display and greeting:
Hope you've enjoyed these few glimpses of an English Christmas. Happy New Year!