Tag: christmas

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Lighting up Waddesdon Manor

There’s a trend in the UK for tourist attractions to ‘light up’ in the winter months, just like Longleat did when I visited last winter.  I’d heard about a light up at Waddesdon Manor, a National Trust property, on the news and had to visit.

The main light art event is called SOS (. . . – – – . . .) by Bruce Munro.  The installation comprised of tents which light up to music and Morse code.  In addition, the manor house was lit up with regular light shows by Woodroffe Bassett and had two illuminated wine-bottle candlesticks by Joanna Vasconcelos.

Waddesdon Manor had a Christmas fair with lots of stalls selling gifts and food.  Hot coffee, melted marshmallows, and poutine helped to keep me going on a chilly and blustery visit.  I even came away with a couple of gifts for Christmas. 

Although SOS wasn’t quite as impressive as I thought it would be, combined with the Christmas fair and the manor house being lit up it was a very enjoyable few hours and definitely worth a visit.

As well as just ten photos below, there’s two videos on the Just 10 Photos Youtube channel showing the the SOS installation and the light display on the manor house.

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Weston Hopsicecare Light Up a Life

Weston Hospicecare is one of the Just 10 Photos supported charities that you’re invited to donate to if you enjoy our photographs.  

Based in Weston-super-Mare the hospice provides physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual care to the 1 in 100 local people with life-limiting illnesses such as cancer, motor neurone disease and heart or lung failure. The Hospice’s care reaches out to local people in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset and border areas of Somerset providing a safe haven and source of comfort and guidance to every single person who needs it.

Light Up a Life is just one of the many events the hospice runs each year to gain donations and provide comfort to those who’ve lost someone.  Run at the hospice, just before Christmas, Light Up a Life comes at a hard time of year for many.  The hospice garden is filled with hundreds of lanterns lit to celebrate a life.  

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Oxford Christmas Market 2014

Over the last few years German Christmas markets have become very popular in the UK, with stalls selling traditional German food, drinks, and gifts.  In a similar style local Christmas markets are popular too, like this one in Oxford.

The Oxford Christmas Market is run by Nicole Rahimi (who, ironically, is German), and for its first few years was run in the picturesque Oxford Castle complex but after a one year break popped up in Oxford’s Broad Street.  Broad Street is much less photogenic but better for the market as it’s next to the main shopping area and attracts lots of passers by.

These photos were taken after dark, and next year I hope to spend a bit more time at the market to get some daylight photos too.