Christmas Bottle Alley Stroll 19/12/10

The weather always favours our strolls. After a week of bitter cold winds blowing sleet into the Pier Shop the sky cleared this afternoon and the clouds put on a display, parting to let the setting sun shoot the sort of columns of red light that I remember from my illustrated bible. The only thing missing was some gothic lettering telling us to go to Ninevah!
And for once I was prepared, I had closed the shop at two so I'd had time to fill two big flasks with hot mulled wine.

And it was a great family event, Lizz and Alex and Catherine helped with the tea trolleys and mince pies, Elaine and Neil, down from Whitley Bay brought ukulele and mince pies. The Ukulele Strollers came illuminated and everyone brought some form of festive cheer.

The Bottle Alley Elves had dressed the middle bay with tea lights, a wonderful surprise. We sang Oh I do Like To Be Beside The Seaside, What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor, Merry Christmas Everyone (the Shaking Stevens hit) and the Mexican Carol: Feliz Navidad. We even bumped into friends who were heading back from work and who joined in the stroll. A great Bottle Alley Ukulele Stroll.