The Great Paxton Christmas Tree Festival
19th - 22nd December 2024
The purpose of the festival:
A celebration of Christmas to bring all in the village together.
Free to attend, no purchase is required for visitors to enter. The celebration of the season is the priority while we hope to raise money to help maintain the traditions of this public space of our 1,000 year old Saxon church. Great Paxtonians have been celebrating Christmas here since before the Norman Conquest.
What we would like you to do:
Provide a lighted and decorated Christmas tree! This can be traditional in all respects or can be decorated according to whatever theme you choose. It could be a decorated tree-like triangular structure rather than an actual tree, such as a step ladder, a small tent, a pile of books or whatever you come up with.
The tree can be floor or table standing, we anticipate most will be between 90 and 180cm tall (3 to 6 feet), though there is room for one or two possibly larger ones (lots of head room!), you could alternatively decorate a small niche in the wall or other structure - even the pulpit! Please contact me if you have any other ideas, we can go and have a look to see what can be done.
You will have a space of about a 1 or 2 metre square for your tree and any information you wish to accompany it. This will be floor space for larger trees and table-height for smaller trees.
What will happen and when?:
Christmas Day is on a Wednesday this year, most schools break up the Friday before which is the 20th.
Trees will be set up on the weekend of the 14th and 15th of December, the festival will be open from 2pm - 5pm on Thursday and Friday the 19th and 20th, then 10am - 5pm on the 21st and 22nd Saturday and Sunday.
There will be things happening over this weekend and the annual children’s Christingle service on the Sunday.
Trees and decorations to be removed after the 22nd, possibly after the 25th, to be confirmed.
All dates are subject to (small) changes and will be confirmed nearer the time.
Can we get involved in some other way?:
There will be an art display of works by people who live in the village, and opportunities for musical performances at the weekend.
Please let us know if you can get involved in either of these ways or have any other suggestions for how you would like to be involved.
Who can provide a tree?:
Village groups - social, sporting, special interest etc.
Small businesses based in the village, we ask for a donation of £15 from businesses, all of which will go towards church maintenance.
Families or individuals.
Can we support this event without providing a tree?:
There will be requests for several things as we approach Christmas. Donations of raffle prizes will be particularly welcome
Please
to confirm a place for your tree
or contact me on 07483 815160
Best wishes
Paul Ward and the Christmas Festival committee.
