Fayre Play

November 21, 2016 by Ray Morgan

I got off my chest last week how much I dislike the commercial Christmas adverts, but as we approach December I'm softening and getting all festive and sparkly, it's candles every night and glittered nails from now until January and I hope you're okay with that. I went to a church Christmas fair (or "fayre" as they always insist on calling it, why the y?) on Saturday with a good chum and her little boy.

We went with the intention of plonking said little boy on Father Christmas's lap for a perfect Christmas card photo opp, but due to a series of adventures in a cafe beforehand involving a pear, a disco bouncy ball and a plastic cheetah, he promptly fell asleep in his buggy and missed the entire thing.

But no matter. We steered him round the fair (I'm refusing to use the 'y') and took in the sights. My friend Emma made a beeline for the tombola. Within seconds, and the purchase of just £1, she'd won some nice smellies and a pack of pretty candles. Essentially, a DIY spa experience for just a quid. Amazing! We moved on. Sweet children (possibly Brownies) stood behind ultimate toot on the bric-a-brac stall. Emma and I foraged through the tat with magpie eyes, looking for fun or hideous treasures.

A twinkly elderly woman had made sugary treats in the shape of Christmas characters out of walnut whips decorated to look like snowmen and elves. How does someone even do that? They only cost £1 each to buy but the effort that had gone into them must have been huge.

Then, the finale, another bric-a-brac stall that on closer inspection was colour themed. A woman stood behind it, resplendent in blue and gold hues. She told us that every year, she runs a bric-a-brac stall that's colour themed, and she WEARS THOSE COLOURS TOO. How cute is that? I've said before on this blog how much I love people who bother, and this was a shining example. Everything on this stall from candles, toys, smellies and trinkets was either royal blue or shiny gold. Just like her. My pal and I went straight in to look closer, realising how handy a buggy is when you need to get to where you want to be.

I immediately bought a gold plush lion for the sleeping kid, a treat for when he woke up. Emma bought a Royal Doulton elephant in the appropriate blue. There were also really lovely Wedgwood plates that caught my eye. I looked at the woman, dressed in the same colour as her wares for no other reason than "why not?" and felt a surge of love for people like her. Here she is, selling bits and bobs that are inexplicably themed, to raise money for a church that is a place for Brownies and Guides, or playgroups, or a place for people to meet and have a cup of tea on those badass pale green cups and saucers that somehow ALL church halls have.

I'm not religious myself, but there are elements of church and community that I think are really important. I grew up skidding about on polished floors of church halls at Guides, or at jumble sales, barn dances, film screenings before the words 'pop up cinema' were invented. These places are dying: the very church hall I spent my childhood knocking about in (St Clement's Church Hall) is now the site of Eden Point, which now boasts flats that go for half a million and upwards. It's sad - we need to support the ones that are still there. If you see a hand-written or poorly photocopied poster for a Christmas 'Fayre', go and support it. Buy a home made fairy cake or have a go on the tombola. It's a simple pleasure, an hour out of your day, and you're supporting your community. And it'll make you feel festive as *heck*.