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Christmas in Chandler's Ford

All you need to know about Christmas in Chandler's Ford and Eastleigh. Enjoy beautiful Christmas stories and memories written by friends from Chandler's Ford. Find more Chandler's Ford upcoming events here.

Christmas in Chandler’s Ford 2017

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This morning I attended the church service at the Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church.

The service was led by Rev Dr Howard Mellor. He is a great speaker and his speech was full of humour. He started off showing a blue and white t-shirt representing Huddersfield Town, as he told us he watched the match yesterday and he showed his support for the blue and white team!

I don’t know anything about football, but his introduction using football seemed very well received. [Read more…] about Christmas in Chandler’s Ford 2017

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Christmas wrapping

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It’s that time of year again – Christmas present wrapping.  Some people are able to easily create perfectly wrapped presents, with paper held tightly against the gift and tied with pretty ribbons and bows.  I’m not.  I rely on numerous strips of sticky tape to hold the wrapping together and stop loose edges coming away. It has been suggested that I don’t need to bother with a ‘from’ label on the gifts I give – it’s obvious from the way its been wrapped that it’s from me. [Read more…] about Christmas wrapping

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Christmas – What’s So Special?

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By Deacon Paul Owen

I was walking along Park Road in Chandler’s Ford earlier in November and overheard a conversation between a mother and her son she’d just picked up from school. The mother told the son that they would put up their Christmas tree that evening. It was another example for me – along with the constant Christmas TV adverts, the endless playing of Christmas music and the Christmas goods in the shops and the Christmas decorations that are pretty much everywhere – that the Christmas festivities seem to start earlier and earlier each year! [Read more…] about Christmas – What’s So Special?

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Review: Chandler’s Ford Joint Charities 44th Christmas Market 2017

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Once a year I go to the Joint Charities Annual Christmas Market in Chandler’s Ford to buy a few Christmas cards (I don’t have that many friends to send cards to) and use it as a chance to catch up with friends, and also have my coffee morning with friends at the Dovetail Centre Café. [Read more…] about Review: Chandler’s Ford Joint Charities 44th Christmas Market 2017

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The Nativity Experience, 18th and 19th November

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When did you last experience the Christmas Nativity story?  No, not hear the story, experience it.

We’re probably all familiar with the story: Mary and Joseph, Donkeys, Bethlehem, “no room at the inn”, manger, shepherds, angels, and all.  But what does it all mean and – more pertinently – why is it still important and relevant 2000 years later?

This year, Eastleigh Baptist Church will be seeking to answer this question with the Nativity Experience on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th November – planned to coincide with and complement the Christmas light switch-on in the town centre. [Read more…] about The Nativity Experience, 18th and 19th November

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What I Like (and Dislike) about Christmas

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I love Christmas, most of it anyway. I would love to see more goodwill being shown by the Christmas shopping crowds as we all try to buy presents and so on but that’s another story.

Being a Christian, the Christmas story and services have special resonance of course, though I know all would welcome the idea of goodwill to all men being practised by ourselves at all times of year (despite mankind failing on this count miserably so often, just look at the news for the proof, but the goodwill idea is a sound one and we shouldn’t give up on it. I don’t think it’s been given a long enough trial period!). [Read more…] about What I Like (and Dislike) about Christmas

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Christmas Gathering at Beacon Café, St. Boniface Church 2016

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On Tuesday morning, I went to the Beacon Café at St. Boniface Church on Hursley Road for some refreshment (ok, plus more than one piece of home-made cake).

I got there just after 11am, and saw people were happily solving Christmas quizzes, which involved identifying some very old (at least to me) British TV sitcoms. From the participants’ enthusiastic discussions and laughter, I could tell they knew most of the answers while reminiscing the good old days. [Read more…] about Christmas Gathering at Beacon Café, St. Boniface Church 2016

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Christmas Books and Local Settings

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Once upon a time almost every child found an annual under the tree or in their stocking and I have one given to me when I was about seven – The Christmas Stocking.

We carried on this tradition with our children who always opened their annuals at bedtime on Christmas Eve so they had something to keep them happy until morning. I always hoped they’d lie in bed and read instead of getting up at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning, but it didn’t work!
[Read more…] about Christmas Books and Local Settings

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Thornden Community Wind Band Christmas Concert

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“It’s beginning  to feel a lot like Christmas” – well, it certainly is for the 380 people who went to “A Swing-Along Christmas” concert presented by the Thornden Community Wind Band with their special guests The Spitfire Sisters on Friday evening. This was a wonderful concert and a fine introduction to the week before Christmas.
[Read more…] about Thornden Community Wind Band Christmas Concert

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Otterbourne Mummers: Traditional Mummers Play in Otterbourne, Christmas 2016

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Yesterday, we went to see the Mummers street play in Otterbourne, Hampshire.

It is a very old and traditional folk play and depicts King George slaying the dragon, Turkish knights and other adversaries. It was good fun to watch and the costumes were very colourful. [Read more…] about Otterbourne Mummers: Traditional Mummers Play in Otterbourne, Christmas 2016

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Review: Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at St. Boniface Church 2016

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I attended the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in St. Boniface (CofE) Church this evening. The church was packed. Superbly directed by Dr. Hugh Benham, the carol service certainly defines Christmas musically for Chandler’s Ford.

(If you missed the carol service this year, try not to miss it next year. Trust me, you won’t regret it.) [Read more…] about Review: Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at St. Boniface Church 2016

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Some Christmas Thoughts

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By Reverend Peter Hutchinson

So, as the old saying goes, “Christmas is upon us and the goose is getting fat” and, to stay in Dickensian vogue, “Bah, Humbug!” Sorry, but I had to get that off my chest! Seriously, I do find Christmas hugely stressful and have often wished that it would simply go away.

As a Clergyman I find that it is a time of high workload, with many additional pressures (as is also the case for so many in the retail trades). [Read more…] about Some Christmas Thoughts

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Wooden Train Built by Eastleigh Men’s Shed Arrived at Chandler’s Ford Station

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Today Eastleigh Men’s Shed group installed a new train on the disused platform at Chandler’s Ford Station to help brighten up the area.

Eastleigh Men’s Shed is a not-for-profit group based in Hamble.

Mark Miller, Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership Officer, praised Eastleigh Men’s Shed volunteers for their dedication: “The Men’s Shed have been working on this project for some time, and we are delighted with the finished product – a wooden train planter.” [Read more…] about Wooden Train Built by Eastleigh Men’s Shed Arrived at Chandler’s Ford Station

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New Wooden Train Planter for Chandler’s Ford Disused Platform

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Seven volunteers spent 90 minutes cleared the disused platform at Chandler’s Ford last Sunday afternoon.

The aim is to provide a clear area on the old platform where a new wooden train planter provided by Eastleigh Men’s Shed will be placed, on Thursday 8 December 2016.

See the transformation: [Read more…] about New Wooden Train Planter for Chandler’s Ford Disused Platform

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Review: Joint Charities 43rd Annual Christmas Market Chandler’s Ford 2016

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This morning I went to the Joint Charities 43rd Annual Christmas Market at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church.

I love this annual tradition – as it kicks off my internal clock for Christmas. It reminds me that I need to start pick up a pen, write a few Christmas cards (while adding names or crossing names off my Christmas card list as well).

This morning, former Eastleigh Mayor Councillor Jane Welsh opened the 43rd Christmas Market. [Read more…] about Review: Joint Charities 43rd Annual Christmas Market Chandler’s Ford 2016

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News from Eastleigh parkrun

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There were extra opportunities for a parkrun over the Christmas period in Eastleigh.

As well as the standard Saturday morning events, runs were also organised for Christmas and New Year’s Day mornings. In addition, the New Year’s Day events in Winchester and Southampton started 90 minutes later.

This gave the truly dedicated a total of five parkruns in nine days.  I managed three of the five – so I must be semi-dedicated. [Read more…] about News from Eastleigh parkrun

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Christmas Stories, Limericks and Traditions

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Just for fun, I thought I would share a few Christmas linked short stories (the famous 100 worders) and limericks.

I also share a couple of my family traditions at Christmastime. [Read more…] about Christmas Stories, Limericks and Traditions

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An Unusual Carol Concert in Sri Lanka

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A choir of girls was scheduled to sing carols in the foyer of a new five-star hotel here in Kandy. As some of the girls attended the school where my wife Brenda has worked, we went along.

I expected to see a crush of proud parents but there were none. [Read more…] about An Unusual Carol Concert in Sri Lanka

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Christmas Unwrapped – Christmas Message from Churches Together in Chandler’s Ford

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“She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger.” Luke 2 v 7

Last year, for the first time in nearly 25 years, we did not have the joy of watching a family dog open his Christmas present.

Our retrievers were clumsy animals, but [Read more…] about Christmas Unwrapped – Christmas Message from Churches Together in Chandler’s Ford

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