Christmas officially starts this weekend with Advent Sunday, December 1, and Rye celebrates in style in a week’s time, December 7 and 8, with a Festival of Christmas Past with most events taking place on the Saturday, but some of the favourites continuing on the Sunday.
For more details of other Christmas events look at “What’s On” on the front page of Rye News in the right hand column and, if you want to promote your event, why not use “What’s On” yourself.
This weekend (see top photo) sees St Mary’s Christmas Fair in Rye from 10am-2pm tomorrow, Saturday, November 30. Entry is free and there will be numerous stalls, refreshments and, of course, a raffle.
The fair hosts stalls from a number of charities and organisations within its spacious interior which means there are a wide range of items on offer.
However if you are looking for something “arty”, Coastal Creatives have a Christmas Fair on Saturday and Sunday November 30 and December 1 from 10:30am to 4pm at the Rye Harbour Sailing Club and you may even find some Christmas gifts.
On Sunday St Mary’s also features its family toy service at 10:30am which collects and distributes safe toys and games to disadvantaged children in the area.
That is followed at 3:15pm by the Lights of Love service organised by St Michael’s Hospice in memory of those people have lost. Similar services are held at other venues in the area and the Christmas trees decorated with labels naming those who have died stay in place over the Christmas period.
Image Credits: Kenneth Bird , Rye News library .
Many thanks for publicising St Mary’s Christmas Fair but Mr Harkness really ought to know better than to say ‘It’s official – Christmas starts’ . Christmas officially starts on the 25th December and continues for twelve days – remember the song The Twelve Days of Christmas? As stated, this Sunday, December 1st, is the first Sunday in Advent which is the period of preparation before Christmas.
All St Mary’s Christmas services can be found on the website http://www.ryeparishchurch.org.uk
St Mary’s called it Christmas fair….True it is Advent before the Church celebrates Christmas..the birth of the Messiah. Isaiah chapter 6 verses 6-7.
May be it should be called pre Christmas fair or pre Advent fair..like shrove Tuesday before Ash Wednesday the beginning of Lent.
Or this year St. Andrew’s day Scotland’s saints day as it 30th November..