Wye Valley Diary
December 2013 Wye Valley
Treat Not Trial
Relax and enjoy! Sue Knox, Herefordshire’s museums development officer suggests a spot of cultural Christmas shopping…
Do you dread the idea of shopping for Christmas gifts on a packed High Street or the soulless trawl online? If you long for a more relaxed excursion where you can find individual presents and enjoy splendid surroundings at the same time, December gives you opportunities to do just that at museums and heritage sites across the county.
From December 6 to 8, Hampton Court will open its doors for its annual Christmas Fair with all manner of goods including clothes, jewellery, cards, handmade glass, shaker style boxes, cakes, liqueurs and beers. This promises to be a delightful event in opulent surroundings. Opening hours are 10.30am to 7pm on the Friday and 10.30am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
The annual Christmas Fair at Hampton Court
Hereford Museum and Gallery has a beautiful exhibition of wood engravings, Full Circle by Hilary Paynter, until January 8. All the prints are for sale and would make wonderful gifts. Subjects range from animals and beautiful landscapes, both local and from further afield, to social scenes and more humorous images. Mounted prints can be purchased and taken away on the day in time for Christmas morning. Alternatively the surprise can be heightened with a trip to the exhibition to see the works, with the framed prints picked up after the exhibition ends. For more information, contact the gallery on 01432 260692
If seasonal decorations are your thing, book yourself a session of Christmas wreath making at Croft Castle on Wednesday 11 or Thursday 12 December, from 11am to 3pm. The gardener has been cultivating and gathering foliage for the purpose
and he’ll share his knowledge and skills and give you tips for keeping your wreath fresher for longer. Booking is essential and tickets are £20 including a light lunch. For details call Croft Castle on 01568 780246. Croft Castle is also the venue for a Christmas fair on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 December from 10am to 4.30pm. There will be reindeer trails for the kids, who can also see Santa in his grotto.
Don’t forget the range of gifts available at the National Trust shops at Brockhampton, Berrington and Croft Castle which always offer tasteful and unusual gift ideas. Equally delightful and definitely worth a visit is the Cider Museum’s shop in Hereford with its dazzling array of local ciders, liqueurs and related gift items. So much more fun than braving the frantic rush of generic shopping!
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