Fun and festivities at Houlton's first Christmas
Houlton’s first Christmas got off to a flying start on Saturday 9th December. With carol singing and live entertainment provided by the Rotary Club of Rugby Dunsmore, the event included performances by The Dunchurch Voices and members of RATT, the Rugby Area Talent Trust.
The Barn at Dollman Place played host to the Handcrafted Delights team’s splendid seasonal craft fair offering all kinds of Christmas goodies and treats. Then, as evening drew in, it was time for the Mayor of Rugby to switch on Houlton’s first ever Christmas lights. A very special moment indeed!
The celebrations continued the following weekend when Santa and his reindeer arrived. Two lucky children enjoyed the thrill of their lives riding into Dollman Place with Santa in his sleigh. Around 300 excited little ones visited Santa’s grotto over the weekend, whilst mums and dads sampled the mulled wine and mince pies supplied by The Tuning Fork. And, capturing the true spirit of Christmas, there were generous donations to the Claremont Children’s Centre in Rugby.
Although the weather was chilly, the reindeer (who had travelled from the Scottish Highlands) received a wonderfully warm welcome, with families queuing up to feed and pet them. The Barn hosted an array of activities for the children, including gingerbread decorating, colouring activities and a fabulous balloon modeller whose clever skills charmed everyone.
A big ‘Thank you’ to all who attended. Here’s to the start of a wonderful new tradition of celebrating Christmas at Houlton.
