At the weekend, Christmas spirit swept through the streets of Leamington with the long awaited annual Yuletide Market and Lights Ceremony. It's fair to say that I went with a reasonably negative attitude towards the event, thinking that it would just be a rip off of Birmingham's German Market, yet I walked away rather pleased and annoyed with myself that I had jumped to make these conclusions before witnessing the commemorations.
It's clear to me that the market and Lights is a very big event for locals, as they turned up in their hundreds to get a look at what the market had to offer, and hurried to get the best view in the evening of the lights being switched on.
Although the air was very cold, it definitely added to the whole Christmas atmosphere, and oddly made me more accommodating towards the festivities. Warming myself up with a quick Gingerbread Latte from Starbucks, I soldiered on, waiting at least 10 minutes at each stall before I could move on - unfortunately that's what happens when you go with your mother.
I have to say I was rather disappointed with the lack of diversity across the stalls, and I know it was a Christmas Market - and everything was supposed to be Christmassy, but I would have liked to see something a bit different from Christmas Jumpers and Christmas Pudding.
That's when I came up to what must be my favourite market stall by far. Touching the Void, run by a man named Bob, is filled with original collections that he's brought back from his travels over the past 15 years.
Something about this man - from the warm nature of his character, to his amazing photography, to his stories from his travels from places such as Nepal and Tibet - has inspired me and motivated me to have the drive I need to do the things I want to do in life.
The festivities were enhanced with performances from cast from the Royal Spa Centre pantomime – Jack and the Beanstalk, and music and entertainment was provided by a Choir Idol Schools competition, Monty the Jester and Christmas Elf, and dance performances from the Leamington and Warwick Academy of Dance and Dance A La Plage. Following this, one-man band, Thom Kirkpatrick -who proved to be a crowd favourite, took to the stage.The Spa Centre panto cast also took to the stage to perform.
My childhood flashed before my eyes throughout the day as fairground rides littered the road, and in the evening as Santa lead the countdown to the lights and the Tree of Light Ceremony outside the Town Hall, and the event finished with Leamington’s Christmas lights display being switched on from the main stage, as hundreds stood together watching.
(originally posted 26th November 2015 www.luna-llena.co.uk)
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