I love this time of year and walking through the historic back streets of Rye with their old-fashioned lamp posts and gentle light, and I see that Christmas is coming with leaflets advertising late night shopping on Friday, December 2 and a whole range of street activities on Saturday, December 3 after two years where Covid infections have rather blighted Christmas.
But, given all the publicity about soaring electricity (and gas) prices, I had already been thinking twice about digging out my Christmas lights which usually drape themselves down the staircase and around my house.
However, my compromise is that I will have them on for less time and, when I do, I’ll turn everything else off so my Christmas lights will be heating as well as lighting me up, with the help of some mulled wine, of course.
But what will be the cost of the Christmas lights we usually have round the town, including the Christmas tree on the Strand, thanks to the effort of the mayor and his team of volunteers, and who will be picking up the bill?
Time to celebrate
After a year where I have nearly died twice according to doctors, once during surgery in February and then in A&E in September, I really feel an urge to celebrate, despite having swollen feet due to blood pressure and a walking stick that makes me look really, really old!
But though the Christmas leaflet (with words like Prosecco, mince pies and mulled wine) feels so tempting I do wonder what we can afford this Christmas, as a nation, a town and individuals.
Full marks though to the organisers of the Christmas in Rye Festival 2022 and I hope we can afford it and it all happens as planned.
Image Credits: Joe Redski https://joeredski.com/.