Feeling Christmassy ? It certainly feels cold enough to snow .If you haven’t yet done all your Christmas shopping, Monmouth has plenty to tempt you with. I know many of us do internet shopping these days but I have found it is quicker to go into shops and come out with purchases rather than order and wait for the courier. How many times have you been waiting in for a delivery and then popped out for a pint of milk and in those ten minutes missed the postman. Infuriating!
I tested out our high street last week with a range of presents to get from those who have everything , to those who are notoriously difficult to please, very successful I have to say although the proof of the pudding will be in the unwrapping. For a small town we have an amazing range of gifts, where else but Monmouth could you adopt a vine, buy books by local authors, find unusual teas and tea pots, and for the cook that likes shoes find a red stiletto wooden spoon stand.
What was also so enjoyable was the human contact I experienced from real rather than virtual shops. You may think judging from some of the adverts on TV that the Christmas spirit is contained in a bottle but I found that the joking and laughing and the sheer helpfulness of shop assistants all helped add to my Christmas spirit.
Walking back home through town laden down with gifts, the Christmas decorations and lights looked glorious and I noticed many smiles as people looked up and enjoyed them. It all added to that warm glow I was feeling. The night was perfectly rounded off by a torchlit carol service held in Tintern Abbey, put that in the diary for next year!
