Merry Skipmas!

You know it's really getting festive in Stockport as soon as you see the Cheadle Skip Hire Christmas Skip Tree go up in Adswood!

The best Christmas tree I've seen so far this year

We spotted this marvellous Christmas tree made out of skips as we passed by Cheadle Skip Hire on Friday evening!

A Christmas tree at Cheadle Skip Hire

National Christmas Tree Day

Happy National Christmas Tree Day.

In Hyde

Today is National Christmas Tree Day.

Just got to make room in our ceiling for this tree

The first Christmas tree I saw this year was in Withington, Manchester. In July!

Do you have your Christmas Tree up yet?

I competed in a Christmas Tree Throwing Competition at a summer fete back in 2012. One of many obscure sports I've tried over the years

There's no I in Christmas

Spotted in Cheadle.

What's wrong with this picture?

I don't mind Christmas being shortened to Xmas, but I draw the line at this dropping of the 'i'.

Ludicrous Christmas trees in Stockport

What a pair!

Festive street furniture

 

So Christmassy

How the second tree looked in 2016

Related blog posts:
- Christmas
- Christmas Trees

The worst Christmas trees of 2016

A fine selection of the bad and ugly Christmas trees spotted this festive season.

During the festive season I've been engaged in discussion and competition with Marc Bazeley and Dan Paynton as to who has seen the worst Christmas Tree on their travels.

The Christmas tree that started the spotting - on a back street in Stockport. On the 9th of November

Among the dregs and dross of what passes for seasonal decorations we've noticed some common themes, most notably the erection of metal railings imprisoning the tree. Some of these barricades have also carried signs bearing that most traditional of greetings 'WARNING DANGER OF DEATH'. And while we may scoff at that message, at least the trees seen with that sign have at least had lights put on them!

So, after not much consideration our top three worst Christmas Trees of 2016 are as follows

In Chorley Marc found this delight.

The tree of Christmas past by the look of it

In Chale, near Ventnor on the Isle of Wight Dan snapped this beauty.

I think you'll agree this sums up Christmas perfectly

Dan quite liked the look of this sorry affair I spotted in Cheadle Hulme's Oak Meadow.

Lots of barriers

The best of the rest...

Not a bad tree per se, but while in Bolton I had to frame the photo like this to make it as ludicrous as possible.

Nothing says Christmas like some portaloos

And speaking of ludicrous I have no idea what was going on with this 'tree' in Stockport!

Interesting use of some street furniture

A selection of the others spotted by members of the newly formed Awful Tree Spotters (ATS) club.

Another railing, sorry Christmas tree, in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport. This one is in Adswood Local Centre

Marc's local Christmas tree in Askam. Glitzy

A Christmas tree in Barrow in Furnow. It doesn't look real

Neither does this one

This Christmas tree on a roundabout in Bramhall in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport looks like it's had a bit too much of the Christmas spirit

One of the first we spotted pop up in an odd location. Plugged into the street light too

  

One of the DANGEROUS Christmas trees in Cheadle Hulme

The little brother of the electrical Christmas tree above

The dark tree of Handforth

Ipswich Market's Christmas tree is bright. But it's also almost mostly hoarding

Wellingborough's effort is a bit of a spit and sawdust affair

The Christmas tree in Newport on the Isle of Wight looks a little bit lost

Northampton's Christmas tree is a big 'un. No decorations though

I spotted Stockport's Christmas tree just before it was lit

Emily spotted a couple of Christmas trees while in Vienna, Austria. However they don't count as they're actually nice.

Elegance and class

A little over the top on the decorations. But better than nothing

And while it's not a Christmas tree I'd like to finish this post with this lonesome decoration on the seafront in Felixstowe.

Related blog posts:
- Christmas Trees

This Christmas tree is beyond ludicrous

I've seen some sorry excuses for Christmas trees dotted around the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in recent weeks. But this one on St Petersgate in Stockport town centre is truly ludicrous!

This tree wins Christmas

Related blog posts:
- Christmas Trees

Happy National Christmas Tree Day 2016!

A visit to Christmas Tree World in Cheadle Hulme.

To mark the occasion we popped round Christmas Tree World at Lion House Farm in Cheadle Hulme to buy our first real Christmas tree. Marvellous.

The perfect sized tree for our new place. Great service at Christmas Tree World too. And you get to see ducks, geese and chickens on the ponds next to the trees

Related blog posts:
- Christmas tree
- Cheadle Hulme

We Sell Xmas Trees

Driving home from work the other evening I had to take a detour through Luton town centre and spotted a sight that brought a smile to my face. I knew I'd have to head back in the daylight to get a snap of me next to it! And so I did.

You can buy Christmas Trees at The Windmill pub on Gipsy Lane in Luton

Looking at my Facebook Year in Review 99.9% of the photos show me next to, on, or inside something ridiculous! Long may it continue.

In a little hut at Brynbuga Castle in Usk

Having a whale of a time in Worthing

On some sort of podium in Nottingham

Celebrating Bedfordshire Day

Another day, another mascot

Related blog posts:
- Airdancer
- Christmas
- Christmas Tree
- Wacky Waving Arm-Flailing Inflatable Tube-man

Christmas is definitely over then

The sad sight of abandoned Christmas trees in the New Year.

The sad post-festive season sight of a selection of Christmas Trees ready for recycling/chipping

This year there were two Christmas Tree Mazes in London - one in Vauxhall and one on the Southbank. Unfortunately the Southbank one was closed on our visit.

Roll on Christmas 2015!

Or perhaps there will be some 'festive fun' over the summer...

Back in June 2012 I competed in a Christmas Tree Throwing Competition at a fete in West Berkshire! Great fun, but hard work.

Launching a Nordman Fir at the Yattendon & Frilsham Village Fete. It was quite an agonising experience!

The Christmas period also seems to start earlier each year. For instance I bought and ate my first Mince Pies in September this year!

By the look of these trees I've seen that are well past their use by date, the 'season of goodwill' has continued long into the summer as well.

A browned off Christmas Tree in Luton. In April

Dumped in Hastings and looking very un-Christmassy in May

Check out the Recycle Now website for more information on recycling your Christmas Tree.

Related blog posts:
- Christmas
- Christmas Tree Maze at the Southbank Centre's Winter Festival
- Christmas Tree Maze at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens
- Fun and Games at the Yattendon & Frilsham Village Fete (including Christmas Tree Throwing. In the summer!)

Christmas Tree Maze at the Southbank Centre's Winter Festival

Not getting lost in a Christmas Tree Maze in London.

While having a day out in London Emily and I had a wander along the Southbank and spotted a Christmas Tree Maze!

The Christmas Tree Maze at the Southbank Centre's Winter Festival

Unfortunately when we went to the Box Office to buy a ticket (£4 each) we were told that the maze was being resurfaced and wouldn't be open again for a few hours. A bit of a shame.

Bah humbug. The theme of finding things we want to do to be closed, abandoned or derelict, continued at the Southbank Centre's Winter Festival as we weren't able to get lost or find the centre of the Christmas Tree Maze 

Instead we went for a drinking chocolate and bought an excellent prize from the Christmas Market for our upcoming Christmas 'Do' at The Freemason's Arms in Hampstead.

The Southbank Centre's Christmas Tree Maze is filled with 300 Black Forest Christmas Trees and we think it'll look great at night.

Emily's going to another festive 'do' soon at the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, which is also home to a Christmas Tree Maze.

Link:
- Southbank Centre's Winter Festival with NatWest

Related blog posts:
- Christmas
- Maze
- Fun and Games at the Yattendon & Frilsham Village Fete
- Christmas Tree Maze at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens

Christmas Tree Maze at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens

Ice Skate Vauxhall to set up a unique Christmas Tree Maze at the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens in London.

Researching ideas for a Christmas 'Do' Emily spotted that this year there'll be a Christmas Tree Maze at the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens in London!

Set up by Ice Skate Vauxhall, the Christmas Tree Maze will cover almost half a square kilometre and consist of hundreds of lit trees.

As well as the maze the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens will be home to an Ice Rink, a Christmas Street Food Market, family entertainment rides and stalls.

It sounds great.

Back in the summer of 2012 I competed in a Christmas Tree Throwing Competition and the Christmas Tree Maze sounds like great festive fun

Hopefully we'll get along to the Christmas Tree Maze this festive season.

Link:
- Ice Skate Vauxhall Christmas Tree Maze

Related blog posts:
- Christmas
- Maze
- Fun and Games at the Yattendon & Frilsham Village Fete

Fun and Games at the Yattendon & Frilsham Village Fete

Competing in a Christmas Tree Throwing Competition & other games at a Summer Fete in West Berkshire!

Ahead of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee extended Bank Holiday weekend I had a look online to see what events would be taking place in and around the Abingdon-on-Thames area as we’d be down that way for the Bun Throwing in Abingdon.

One of my searches found that the Yattendon & Frilsham Fete in nearby West Berkshire would be taking place on Monday 4th June and amongst the entertainment, fun and games on offer would be Crazy Golf. Amongst this and the other traditional English fete attractions such as tombolas, raffle, coconut shy and a number of stalls the news item in the Newbury Weekly News said that the fete would also be hosting a Christmas Tree Throwing Competition!?

After a few wrong turns we eventually found the Yattendon & Frilsham Fete and saw that it took over the whole of the village. Scanning the Programme of Events for the afternoon we saw that we were still in time for plenty of activities including the Welly Wanging and a chance to watch a Guinness World Record Attempt for the “Largest Synchronized Morris Dance”! We also read that the fete has been running for over 220 years!

The Kennet Morris Men at the Yattendon & Frilsham Fete

We also spotted signs directing people to the Aunt Sally game, although this was found to be a Crockery Shy, rather than the game I know as Aunt Sally that is very popular in my home town of Abingdon and involves knocking a ball off of a metal spike with wooden sticks!?

Aunt Sally poster at the Yattendon & Frilsham Fete

Emily plays "Aunt Sally"

The first thing to do was find the Crazy Golf course that was meant to be there. Unfortunately there wasn't one at the fete, so we wouldn't be adding another played Miniature Golf course to our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list.

While looking for the Crazy Golf course we found the the Christmas Tree Throwing Competition area, which was gathering quite a crowd.

Quite a crowd for the Christmas Tree Throwing Contest

The rules of the competition were quite simple, it was £1 per go and the person who threw the furthest in their category would win. By the time I had a go there were markers out for the best man, woman, boy and girl and somehow someone had managed to lob a Christmas Tree a fair distance and we'd guesstimate it was about 12 metres.

The Christmas Tree Throwing Competition Playing Field at the Yattendon & Frilsham Fete

In total I had three goes and on each occasion I beat the distance of the first marker (best girl’s distance), but only just!

Launching a Nordman Fir in the Christmas Tree Throwing Competition at the Yattendon & Frilsham Fete

The agony of the third throw in the Christmas Tree Throwing Competition at the Yattendon & Frilsham Fete

A great new sport, although quite bizarre to play during summer!? From what I can tell, the village of Yattendon has become very well known for Christmas Trees and the Yattendon Estate is one of the largest producers of Christmas Trees in the country.

Richard and a Christmas Tree

In the other 'throwing a green thing up a field event' Emily got fairly close to the women’s best position in the Welly Wanging contest with her two throws. I once again beat the marker, but was a fair way off the men’s best.

Emily Welly Wanging

There was also an Egg Throwing arena, but seeing how messy the competitors were getting we gave this a miss, although it does make a great spectator sport. Posters for the event also called the game "Chucky Egg".
 

The Egg Throwing Arena at the Yattendon & Frilsham Fete

At 3.30pm the Kennet Morris Men congregated in the village square for their attempt at setting the record for the “Largest Synchronized Morris Dance”. We’re not sure whether they managed the feat and we wondered how many other sites were hosting Morris Dances as part of the record bid.

The Guinness World Record Attempt for the “Largest Synchronized Morris Dance”!

Before we left we sampled some local cider from the wonderfully named Tutts Clump Cider. On the drive to the fete we’d seen the name Tutts Clump on the map too and found the name amusing. We chose to buy four bottles of three varieties of cider on offer, one of which was a special edition produced for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The Diamond Jubilee Cider from Tutts Clump

Tutts Clump Ciders

A great afternoon spent in a lovely English village.

Fete Related Blog Posts:

- Worm Charming Competition at St Mary’s Village Carnival in Edlesborough

- Three Fetes and Minigolf & Crazy Golf Re-Visits in Melbourn & Whaddon (& Royston)

- Ladies & Gentlemen, introducing your 2011 'Melbourn Village Fete Target Bowls Champion'

- Miniature Crazy Golf at Swavesey Village Fun Day - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Course Visit #180

- Miniature Crazy Golf at Melbourn Village Fete - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Course Visit #179

Other Related Blog Posts:
- All Guinness World Records-related Blog Posts at the Ham & Egger Files

Links:

- Yattendon Parish

- Yattendon Estate

- Yattendon & Frilsham Fete
- Kennet Morris Men
- Tutts Clump Cider