Infectious joy

The bad news was broken to us by the parish magazine.  Christmas Eve  is a Sunday this year. So the vicar, who presides over three parishes and must spread himself over as many evensongs, will not be available for the carol service which is traditionally held on the village green. It seemed outrageous that Christianity should be allowed to get in the way of our Christmas festivities. But, on the first Sunday in Advent, Saint Giles more than made up for the seasonal errors and omissions. The children of the church, augmented by a couple of adults, presented a pageant of village history.

Two tinselled angels — one silver and one gold — acted like a Greek chorus, setting the scenes and commenting on the action. Some of it was pure invention.  There is absolutely no reason to believe that King Alfred’s son, Edward, visited the village in AD 924 and urged our rude forefathers to resist the Vikings, succour the needy and build a church.