Festive Spirit

16th December 2025

I know that I will divide opinions but I had a severe case of BAH HUMBUG descend on me when wandering around Stratford Upon Avon on the 13th November. The full Christmas bling, blinking in every corner every shop and even shock horror in the Theatre, home of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Commercialism gone crazy. TOO MUCH TOO EARLY. We had only just got over bonfire night for heavens sake. I had to give myself a stiff talking to, after a cheeky comment in a restaurant resulted in me being put firmly in my place “ well people are having work Christmas parties “ fair enough.

Last year for Richards 60th our dear friends had given him a gin making course in the Shakespeare Gin distillery. So we took the opportunity to get tickets for the RSC production of Cyrano de Bergerac, and make it into a little adventure. Fast forward to gin school. The Bah humbug was brewing again, as the taxi wound its way through festive lights, but as we settled down in front of our very own copper still, and were supplied with samples of their fare, a feeling of well-being descended. The neat spirit was poured into the still, and our spirits rose a little higher as sample three was imbibed.

Aiming for a festive gin we majored on the spicy side of things.

Feeling extremely witty and erudite, as one often does after all that tasting, it did not take us long to come up with the name for our gin. Cue much giggling by us.

Now we are back at Pollards and the birthday celebrations are over, it’s time to get festive. It’s exciting to be spending our first Christmas here. Trying as ever to use available resources and be sustainable the driftwood Christmas trees became a focus. Gotta go large … could not do that unless I was feeling festive !!!