Tribute to Christmas around the world

Or Gledelig Jul, Joyeux Noel, even Nadolig Llawen - all seasons greetings from around the world which visitors to the Christmas Tree

Festival at St Michael's church will be able to use this year.

This was the fourth festival at the church in Glassenbury Drive and already a much-loved local tradition with anyone wanting to enjoy a spectacle of colour, imagination and skill in a setting of calm tranquility.

The theme of the event was Christmas Around The World, and as such the festival was bursting with celebration and cheer from all corners of the globe, from Papua New Guinea and Australia to Finland and Norway, and Mexico to Switzerland and Russia.

Trees were decorated in the character of different countries, sometimes traditionally such as the Poland one by pupils at Glyne Gap School, who used paper chains and gingerbread shapes, or more of a personal tribute, such as the Italian tree made by Lydia and Amelia Harrison who celebrated the glory of that nation with icons as diverse as Ducatti, Pavarotti, Lamborghini, spaghetti, and Sophia Loren.

Other contributors were Dawn Constable with toddlers, 3rd Bexhill Scout Group, Vera and Norman Mangold, Elizabeth McNeice, the junior church, Brownies, Ian Fishwick, Lynne Putland, Glyne Gap Faculty at Bexhill College, Helen and Peter Jalfon Unsworth, Rose and Jon Campbell, The Vicarage, Sue Crick, Pebsham surgery - Helen Moon, Lilian Armstrong, Ruth and Mick Gregory, Judith and Andrew Hattam, St Peter and St Paul's School, Bexhill Ladies' club, Edna Akam, Pebsham School, Mothers' Union, Jean Knapp, Charters' Ancaster School, Peter and Liz Anderson, and Pat Reilley.

Church warden Jan Sparkes, whose display was Sweden, commented: "This has been a church community effort - this is our fourth Christmas Tree Festival and I think it's even better than ever this year. It has been really good - people have enjoyed putting it together and there has been a really nice atmosphere here. I really like the tree done by the scouts, they put together a tree from a poor Kenyan family and one from a more well off one. They have also supported the Kenyan Street Scout Appeal and been making friendship bracelets to sell...I think it is very impressive.

"We have also had several local schools involved, including the Glyne Gap faculty at Bexhill College, St Peter and St Paul's, Pebsham, and Charters Ancaster who hung their tree upside down to represent New Zealand.

"I think its's wonderful - it really is round the world, all places they have got Christmas tradition, including Papua New Guinea which has live sharks in the display, except that they are goldfish. They are quite happy, anyway."