All aboard for a Dickensian Christmas!

THE countdown to Thame’s Dickensian evening on Friday (December 6) begins today, with only four more days to the big Christmas lights switch on by East Enders’ actress and ‘Mrs Brian May’,  Anita Dobson.

For a truly Victorian perspective on the event, a Victorian Omnibus will transport you back in time along the Upper High Street pulled by two beautiful horses bedecked in Christmas plumes. A miniature steam railway will be running up and down the High Street too!

This year there’ll be a whole host of stalls selling everything from traditional Christmas ‘puds’ to limited edition prints, plus local artists and makers selling original gifts perfect to fill those Christmas stockings! To keep us warm (the weather forecast is for cold but dry conditions in the evening), there’ll be mulled wine, hot chocolate as well a tasty hog roast baps and more.

Our friends from Thame’s twin town, Montesson will be selling freshly made French crèpes, wines, cheese, oil, vinegar, olives, fish soups and more!

Those who like to dress up, which includes the Mayor of Thame, Peter Lambert, will really be getting into the Dickensian spirit and donning traditional Victorian dress. Don’t forget your dancing shoes though, because, although there’ll be no Polkas, Mazurkas, Galops or Cotilions to dance, the band Ska Souls, who proved such a hit at Music in the Park, will be adding to the party mood.

Treading the boards on the specially erected stage will be Thame Players previewing their Christmas Panto, Stagecoach Thame’s young students, plus traditional Carols from the local primary schools accompanied by Thame Concert Band and the Thame Chamber Choir.

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol