Christmas in Abingdon: what to expect

Advent calendars are rustling and the flashing reindeers are just about starting to appear in front gardens across the town: Christmas is coming. Thankfully, this means it’s now okay to be stuffing mince pies and glugging mulled wine, but it does also mean that the dreaded Christmas shopping must commence. Is Abingdon ready to enter into the festive spirit?

It certainly seems that way: Saturday 29th November saw the Christmas lights switch on, preceded by the annual parade through the town centre. An afternoon of entertainment including music, community market stalls, and the well-loved classic Punch and Judy was followed by the grand switch on at 5.30pm. A spectacular firework display lit up the skies to mark the occasion.

So what else can we expect from Abingdon this Christmas? Here are a few of our festive highlights:

• Tiny Tim makes an appearance in the LAMPS production of ‘Scrooge’ which is running at the Unicorn Theatre from 10th-14th December. This musical extravaganza is somewhat of a ‘revamp’ from the original version, and is certain not to disappoint.
• Revered TV chef Alex Mackay will be tantalising our taste buds on 4th December with a Christmas cookery demonstration at the Ferris Theatre. And what could be better to follow than a three course Christmas lunch with all the trimmings.
• Don your skates and head down to Frosts Garden Centre (Milletts Farm) where the outdoor plant department has been transformed into an ice rink for the festive season. The rink is made of real ice and prices start at £7.99 for a 45 minute session.
• Saturday 6th December sees the European Christmas Fair taking place at the European School on Thame Lane. Running from 10am-2pm, this event will see a multitude of food and craft stalls as well as a Santa’s Grotto for the little ones.
• Abingdon Guildhall will be selling charity Christmas cards from 30 different local and national charities until 15th December. Head on down for some original designs, and do your bit for charitable causes.

This is just a taster of some of the many activities taking place over the next month or so. There really is something for everyone. Visit http://www.abingdon.gov.uk/ or http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/abingdon/events for more information about events including timings, costings and other important details as well as complete listings.

Now it’s time to get started on those Christmas cards!