Merry Christmas

Have a wonderful Christmas. Enjoy.

The Queens Trees

Continuing the Christmas theme (sorry, but it is everywhere!) here is The Queens hotel, all bedecked for the festive season.

Have a good weekend. Last one before the big day!

Christmas Blues

Look at the pretty lights! Ooo! This tree, surrounded by artificial snow, is outside the front of the Daffodil Restaurant. Its a bit garish for me but it does make a lovely festive scene. Very Christmassy.

Christmas is a strange time of year. It means all sorts of things to different people. To some it is a Religious celebration, to others its about friends and family, to some its about the presents, and to others its the food, drink and all the seasonal trimmings that make Christmas. To most people its a combination of all these things. Christmas is also a time to look forward with optimism to the coming year, but at the same time remember with fondness those people that are no longer with us, those people that have left our lives. We can look back on mistakes made with wise eyes, missed opportunities with sorrow, and things to come with joy. At this time of year its fine to occasionally have the Christmas Blues.

Christmas Past

In case you can't make out what it is - its a Christmas tree! Old and very dead, lying next to a wheelie bin in someones front garden. If its still there in five months time the owner could spray it with green paint and take it back inside! (That's what you call tree-cycling!)

_

O Christmas Tree

You may remember I said about the lack of Christmas lights in Cheltenham, well the Council have at least got it right at the Municipal Offices. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it being the councillors work place! Anyway, it does look good. The Municipal Offices has had Christmas trees on its balcony at this time of year for as long as I can remember. It brings back childhood memories of going to see the lights being switched on and the times that we couldn't go my mum would take us in the car for a drive round town to see all the twinkling lights. What are your childhood Christmas memories?

_

Scrooges Hospital

Cheltenham General Hospital has been in the news locally of late due to the powers that be removing Christmas trees. As part of the action plan to reduce hospital infections, such as MRSA, Christmas trees have been taken out of clinical areas like Oncology. To answer the many cries of "scrooge!" the Gloucestershire Health Trust have pointed out that all wards still have their trees. As one patient commented in the local paper, Gloucestershire Echo, surely there are more germs on shoes trooping in and out of the hospital than on a few Christmas trees. The photo doesn't do justice to the size of the General, although its not the biggest hospital in the world. This old part, on Sandford Road, was built in 1849 and inside is quite claustrophobic. Newer areas are light and airy and make for a relatively modern hospital. The NHS Trust employs hundreds of people and treats tens of thousands a year. Whenever I've been under the care of the hospital I've always been impressed by the dedication of the staff, both medical and civilian.

Tree With A Difference

Slap bang in the middle of Regent Arcade is this 30 foot tall Christmas Tree, the centre piece of the shopping malls festive decorations. It looks like most trees at this time of year, covered in red and gold bows and baubles and hundreds of twinkling lights, but this tree has one feature that I'm sure other trees don't have - a walk way right through the middle! The arch is around 7 foot high and allows shoppers to pass through and experience the inside of a Christmas tree, if thats something that interests you! Now thats what I call a Christmas Tree!