White Christmas in Salthouse (a month early!)

This week, Christmas hit North Norfolk - a month early - with scenic snow falls in Salthouse on Sunday and hog roasts, mulled wine and carol-singing at the now famous festive lights switch-on in Holt on Wednesday.

Accordingly, our in-house snapper cast off thermal mittens and braved frostbite to capture a few timely snaps for those of you not lucky enough to be here (or get a parking space after the 'barricades' went up on lights night).

There was a credit-crunch-busting atmosphere in Holt with a great turnout of families on parade to make the most of this free event.

We did not see Auntie Pearl but Razz the clown gamely entertained the troops outside Benbows with his trusty conertina. Meanwhile, a top-hatted eight foot stilt-walker strode through the town, shadowed by a scuttling entourage of diminutive lantern-bearers.

Fewer 'Star Wars'-style light sticks and flashing LED rabbit ears may have flown off the stalls than in previous years, but the spectacle of intrepid juniors scaling the ice-wall outside the Nationwide Building Society more than made up for it. (Maybe someone told them there was a child trust fund pinned to the top).

PS Many thanks to all those customers who braved the crowds and dropped in to the gallery to share a spicy cracker, mince pie and glass of wine with us. It was lovely to see you!

Holt Lights switch-on: Snap the ‘crack’ for Pop!

Calling all budding photographers – Holt Christmas Lights committee is offering prizes of champagne and notoriety for the best shots taken at this year’s switch-on, scheduled for 6.30pm on Wednesday 26^th November.

Entries will be judged by world famous wildlife photographer David Tipling and Peak District National Park official photographer Andrew Midgley. The winning shots - along with their ‘highly commended’ counterparts - will be exhibited at the Photographer’s gallery from December 12^th. In addition, the two best pics (one from the actual switch-on night and one from the following few days) will net their snappers a bottle of bubbly each.

Closing date for the competition is midnight on 30^th November.

For further details see: http://www.holtchristmaslights.org/photo_comp.html

For a fuller flavour of what is on offer at this year’s switch on, check out the hog roasts outside Budgens and Sidalls, roast chestnuts at Fish Hill and the obligatory hot dogs and burgers outside Barclays bank.

To accompany your munching, there will be a variety of family-friendly entertainment on offer in four different zones of the town as follows (don’t forget, Holt town centre will close to all traffic from 4.30pm on switch-on night, so don't get caught out!):

On the Stage

5.30 Father Philip & the churches
5.50 North Norfolk Radio Link up live then:
5.50 Gresham's choir - Mark Jones
6.10 North Norfolk Radio games and crowd interaction
6.30 Counting down to switching on with North Norfolk Radio - Church bells start ringing, fireworks
6.40 Cromer Pier team
6.50 North Norfolk Radio finish off
7.00 First academy of dance
7.20 Winston the singing farmer
7.40 End of stage shows

Apple Yard

5.30 Stilt Walking & fire juggling
5.40 Lanterns
5.50 Razz the clown & Auntie Pearl
6.20 Rigagig-gig fiddle & dulcimer
6.30 Dave Harper - Bagpipes
7.00 Rigagig-gig fiddle & dulcimer
7.10 Town Crier - Tony Nelson
7.30 First academy of dance
7.50 Winston the singing farmer
8.10 Cromer Pier Team

Chapel Yard

5.30 Dave Harper - bagpipes
5.40 Winston the singing farmer
6.00 Cromer Pier Team & Lanterns
6.10 Town Crier
6.30 Rigagig-gig fiddle & dulcimer
6.40 Prep school choir
7.00 Razz the clown & Auntie Pearl
7.30 Stilt Walking & fire juggling
7.40 Rigagig-gig fiddle & dulcimer
8.00 First academy of dance
8.20 Winston the singing farmer

Lees Yard

5.30 Rigagig-gig fiddle & dulcimer
6.00 Prep school choir
6.10 Lanterns
6.20 Senior school choir
6.50 Town Crier
7.00 Stilt Walking & fire juggling
7.20 Cromer Pier team
7.30 Razz the clown & Auntie Pearl
8.00 Dave Harper - Bagpipes
8.20 Rigagig-gig fiddle & dulcimer

The Art of Remembrance (1914-1918)

This week marks the 90th anniversary of the Armistice, which brought World War I to an end.

The Western Front of World War One was a short train journey away from central London. The British government took advantage of this by commissioning paintings based on scenes witnessed at first hand by the leading artists of the day.

They sent artists to cover other aspects of the war as well - on the home and diplomatic fronts.

The intention was to use these images for propaganda purposes, and also as a way of commemorating the war and the people caught up in it.

Many of the artists fulfilled this brief admirably, some also taking the opportunity to examine the moral issues surrounding the war in the process.

Many special exhibitions have been staged by the National Museums, to commemorate this anniversary. They offer a fascinating insight into the art of war:

Click here: http://www.art-ww1.com/gb/visite.html for an interactive guided tour and directory of the art and painters of the First World War.

Click here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/wars_conflict/art/art_frontline_gal.shtml for a tour of the BBC's History Trail on the Art of War and Conflict, including picture analysis of Totes Meer, by Paul Nash, a quiz on art in wartime and useful links to many national museums.

Click here: Special Displays for a link to Last Post: Remembering the First World War at the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms (6 November 2008 – 28 February 2009)

This exhibition offers a fascinating insight into the story of the Post Office during the First World War.

It follows the stories of soldiers and spies, machinery and medals, commitment and communication and looks at how the Post Office responded to the war in getting mail to those serving or being held prisoner around the globe.

Here come the Pearls - a Ladies' Nite 1950s Style

Sheringham Little Theatre is calling all local 'Desperate Housewives' for a ladies' night with a difference next week...

Not so long ago housewives had a number of very good reasons to be desperate. Not only did they have to look after their families in an age of depression, war and austerity, but they did so without the consumer durables that we now consider essential.

With humour frequently in its sights, Archive Film: Housewife’s Choice (U) is a programme of films from the BFI National Archive that explores the lives of British housewives from the 1920s to the 1950s. The programme includes documentaries, cinemagazines, propaganda films and adverts. It also features films by two of the women who helped to shape the British documentary movement of the 1930s and 40s – Ruby Grierson (1904-40) and Kay Mander (1915).

The film will be introduced by film historian Stewart Orr.

Event Date: Fri 14th Nov 2008, 8.00pm Tickets £5.00

Reader's Wives - 50s Style...(what our grannies really got up to)

To get you in the party mood, here's a 'Good Wife's Guide' appetiser from Housekeeping Monthly, published 13th May 1955, to give you some handy tips on how to (really) please your man...:

1. Over the cooler months of the year prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

2. Prepare yourself. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

3. Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash hands and faces, comb their hair and, if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.

4. Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment, without you. Instead try to understand his world of strain and pressure.

5. Don’t complain even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

6. Listen to him. Let him talk first – remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

7. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

8. Don’t ask questions about his actions or question his judgement or integrity. Remember, he is master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

9. Remember: A good wife always knows her place...