Tag: Christmas

Sainsbury’s Christmas Story competition

Your story could be seen in the Museum of Childhood!

short story comp

Short story Poster

Sainsburys are running a Christmas story competition, open to all Edinburgh schoolchildren. We would love as many children as possible to take part!

The story must be no more than 500 words telling us your “Christmas Memories”.

The competition closes on Friday 18 December and all entries can be submitted to any Sainsburys in Edinburgh.

The competition will be judged by a colleague from Sainsburys and a representative from the City of Edinburgh council. The winning entries will then be displayed in the Museum of Childhood.

Remember to include your name, age and address or telephone number. Good luck!

Roxburghe supporting Cash for Kids

Charlotte Square’s Roxburghe Hotel will play its part in Cash for Kids Mission Christmas this year – as a local toy drop-off point.

Radio Forth presenter Mark Martin (pictured above with porter Jamie Wood), paid a visit to the hotel yesterday to deliver its Mission Christmas donation box and meet the Roxburghe team.

As part of Cash for Kids Mission Christmas, locals are being asked to buy one extra gift to be given to a disadvantaged child or young person on Christmas morning.

Marcello Ventisei, general manager of The Roxburghe Hotel, said: “We’re delighted to play our part for such a great cause. It’s such a simple but effective way of making sure that children and young people living in more difficult circumstances still wake up to a gift on Christmas day. We would encourage anyone passing the hotel, staying with us or attending our Christmas party nights to donate a gift no matter how small.”

New, unwrapped gifts suitable for those aged 0 to 18 can be dropped off at The Roxburghe Hotel’s reception from anytime between now and 14 December.

Any other local businesses who wish to sign up as Cash for Kids Mission Christmas drop-off points have until 23 November to do so. Contact emma.kemp@radioforth.com for further information.

Pictures: Sandy Young

Still time to recycle those Christmas cards

christmas card recycleSainsburys Blackhall have been offering Christmas card recycling at the front of the shop – this has proved to be a huge success but has only a couple of days left.

So if any of our customers still have cards to recycle then the deadline is 13 January (that’s TOMORROW!) All proceeds go to FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).

Gail, Sainsburys Blackhall

forest

Make 2015 a tree-mendously green New Year

Don’t let your Christmas tree go to waste 

realchristmastreeVictorianWith the smell of fresh pine in your home, there’s nothing quite like a real tree at Christmas – and Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead is urging everyone who bought a real tree in 2014 to recycle it, or replant it and use it again this year.

Scottish farms grow around 4.3 million Christmas trees every year with many of these home-grown trees taking pride of place in households across the country.

snowtreesMr Lochhead said: “Real Christmas trees, many of which have been grown here on Scottish farms, add some authentic festive sparkle to homes but I don’t think many people realise they can do their bit for the environment after they’ve used their trees by recycling them.

“All local authorities have recycling centres to take advantage of and I would encourage everyone who has bought a real tree this year to make sure they do.

“Alternatively, the gardeners among us might want to replant their tree to use again year on year – again doing your bit for the environment and also saving yourself some money next year.

“Christmas is a great time of year – it’s all about celebrating, having fun, relaxing and enjoying quality time with family and friends – but it’s also a time to reflect on the past year and what your aims are for 2015. I hope everyone in Scotland will resolve to make 2015 their Greenest year yet.”

Christmas Day, one hundred years ago

‘I saw a sight I shall remember to my dying day’

christmastruce1You will hardly credit what I am going to tell you: but thousands of our men will be writing home today telling the same strange and wonderful story. Listen.

Last night as I sat in my little dugout, writing, my chum came bursting in upon me with: ‘Bob! Hark at ‘em!’ And I listened. From the German trenches came the sound of music and singing. My chum continued: ‘They’ve got Christmas trees all along the top of their trenches! Never saw such a sight!’

I got up to investigate. Climbing the parapet, I saw a sight which I shall remember to my dying day. Right along the whole of the line were hung paper lanterns and illuminations of every description, many of them in such positions as to suggest that they were hung upon Christmas trees.

Christmas Truce 1914And as I stood in wonder a rousing song came over to us; at first the words were indistinguishable , then, as the song was repeated again and again, we realized that we were listening to ‘The Watch on the Rhine.’ Our boys answered with a cheer, while a neighbouring regiment sang lustily the National Anthem.

Some were for shooting the lights away, but almost at the first shot there came a shout in really good English, ‘Stop shooting!’ Then began a series of answering shouts from trench to trench. It was incredible. ‘Hallo! Hallo! You English we wish to speak.’ And everyone began to speak at once. Some were rational, others the reverse of complimentary. Eventually some sort of order obtained, and lo! A party of our men got out from the trenches and invited the Germans to meet them halfway and talk.

And there in the searchlight they stood, Englishman and German, chatting and smoking cigarettes together midway between the lines. A rousing cheer went up from friend and foe alike. The group was too far away from me to hear what was being said, but presently we heard a cheery ‘Good Night. A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all’, with which the parties returned to their respective trenches.

After this we remained the whole night through, singing with the enemy song for song.

Sergeant A Lovell, 3 Rifle Brigade
Christmas Day 1914

Christmas-truce2[1]