| The only evidence of the festive season
to be found on England's westernmost inhabited island yesterday
was the delivery of a single Christmas tree being hauled up the
beach by local residents. Five minutes after this photograph was
taken the tree - which is destined for the church, was left in the
corner of a windy graveyard where it will remain until December
23rd.
The total tally of festive decorations amounts to one undressed
tree, and one small artificial version which has been erected at
the Vine Café. Apart from that there are half a dozen Christmas
cards to be seen hanging in the offices of Bryher Boats.
Fisherman Johnny "Pots" Pender, who has lived on the island all
his life, spat at my suggestion that a little Christmas cheer might
be in order, saying that the islanders believe the world has gone
Christmas-crackers. "Daft innit," growled the 60-year old from somewhere
under his beard as 70 m.p.h. winds shook his tiny cottage, perched
above the wild savagery of Hell Bay. "Come Christmas Eve I might
put a few cards up, but I reckon they've gone Christmas mad on the
mainland. "People here have got more sense," he insisted. "We do
Christmas at Christmas - not in October." |
 It's
the last place in England to see the sun each morning - and it's
the last place to celebrate Christmas each year.
|
| Just down the road in the offices of
Bryher Boats, Sam Stedeford gazed at the Christmas cards which adorn
what must be one of the most scenic office windows in the world,
and told me a few more decorations would be going up sometime next
week. "We'll be getting into the spirit sure enough," she said.
"But not just yet - we're too busy right now." |
|
On the other side of the island Euan Rodger, who
used to be manager of prestigious Hell Bay Hotel, (now manager of
the Tresco Island Hotel) mused over Bryher's apparent dismissal
of the lead-up to Christmas: "It might be something to do with the
complete lack of retail opportunity here. We don't get involved
with all the trappings of a retail-mad Christmas - probably because
we can't."
"But don't go thinking we're a miserable lot who don't enjoy the
holiday," said Mr Rodger. "We certainly make up for the fact we
don't celebrate the Christmas season earlier. We do celebrate it
- for two whole weeks - but the celebrations start on December 23rd.
Then it's a serious case of party, party, party."
It most certainly cannot be said that the 60 Bryher residents
are party-poopers. By all accounts the island revelries are every
bit as wild as the vast Atlantic which raged and surged in a most
dramatic fashion around its rocky shores yesterday. |
 |
However, the Bryher Christmas kicks off in a quiet
and spiritual manner with a carol service in the island church on
the evening of the 23rd, followed by a Eucharist which will be held
the day after Boxing Day.
Throughout the holiday various islanders will throw parties in
their homes and some may even venture as far as Tresco - 500 yards
across the channel which divides the two isles - or to the Scillonian
capital in St Mary's.
This is where the archipelago's main visual bow to Christmas can
be seen in the main street of Hugh Town where the festive lights
will be turned on in full blaze this evening. |
 |
Go to the top of this page