A frolic at the Fayre

I can’t quite believe Christmas Eve is here already – with the wedding and our lovely holiday back in the U.K., the last few months just seem to have whizzed by. I spent the weekend deep cleaning the house, finishing up the gift shopping and buying lots of delicious food.  Adam and I welcome my parents and brother this afternoon and we’re looking forward to spending some one-on-one time with them all over the coming days.

I sometimes think the build up to Christmas is more lovely than the day itself – am I the only one?! You’ve got time to ease yourself into the festive spirit and special moments manifest themselves when you least expect them.  This year I got to experience the pre-Christmas buzz in both Australia and England, so today I want to take you back to early December – when trees were just being decorated and lights switched on and Christmas markets were in full force…

The Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre  has become a bit of a tradition for Adam and I. The first year we went, I was beside myself with excitement – for a southern hemisphere kid seeing chestnuts roasting on an open fire was dream-like.   This year were able to take my family and it was wonderful to share in their excitement in witnessing some of those cold-weather Christmas traditions.

We all met in Worcester with almost all of Adam’s family on a Saturday lunchtime and were a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of market-goers  – the city centre was absolutely packed!

Although the crowds made it a little difficult to move about (to be honest I prefer going of an evening when numbers are fewer) we were still able to split off into smaller groups and have a good mooch around.

I love the stalls that sell fresh wreaths and other seasonal goodies.  The greenery, berries and pine cones look so vibrant against the grey skies of an English December and I still get a kick out of seeing real-life mistletoe.  It’s prolific around Worcestershire and is often sold at markets, florists and even supermarkets in the lead up to Christmas.

Perhaps one of the best parts of the market is the food.  Nothing quite beats a soft bap, filled with slow-cooked pork, applesauce and crackle or a paper cup full of mulled wine or hot chocolate. Plus there are always stalls piled high with fudges, cheeses, baked goods and more.

We left the markets with full bellies, tired feet and the sound of Christmas carols in our heads.  The perfect start really to any December.

Merry Christmas and have a wonderful week. x