The Rt Revd Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester.
THIS edition of Country Life is packed with pictures to stimulate the senses: idyllic scenery, mouthwatering food, exquisite decorations and tantalising advertisements for a cornucopia of seasonal gifts and products. Of course, by their very nature, photographs are snapshots of the past. In them, we encounter a moment from ‘before’.
This reflects something of the way we live in December. Memories and emotions from our past are aroused by the smells, tastes, sounds and images of Christmas present: cinnamon and pine, mince pies and mulled wine, carols and songs—and the inevitable scenes of snowmen, robins, reindeer and Father Christmas.
I confess to being one of those people who loves the anticipation of Advent and the run-up to Christmas proper. I count myself fortunate to have so many good childhood memories: Christmas Eve carol singing on the doorsteps of neighbours; waking early to a bulging stocking at the end of the bed, complete with the obligatory tangerine in the toe; and opening presents around the tree with family and friends.
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