ton 6. Germany 7. Babes in the Wood

Charlbury Christmas Tree Festival

9th-27th December: St Mary’s Church

including: 10th: Cafe in the church and Jazz and Trees concert 11th: Christmas Crackers concert 12th: The Countryside at Christmas- an evening of prose and singing.

Details: hilli.waller@gmail.com

Combe Mill Christmas Market: 11th December 2021

After a very difficult year Combe Mill will be holding their Annual Christmas Market on 11th December 2021 10.00am to 4.00pm. All funds raised will go to Combe Mill Society`s charitable aims of Community Education Don`t miss out, come along and bring the children to `Listen to a story with Santa` browse the variety of Market Stalls, enjoy a BBQ, Mulled Wine & Chestnuts, Tea Room Open, Raffle, Tombola and Gift Shop. Find an excellent selection of Christmas gifts available. Combemill`s blacksmiths will be in the Forge to make pokers, with VIEWING ONLY in the Mill, no machinery will be operating. Blacksmiths items on sale, made by our very own blacksmiths, make a very popular gift for Christmas Free Entry & Car Parking. Combe Mill, Blenheim Estate Sawmills , Long Hanborough , OX29 8ET

Over the next 2 months towards sunset and early evening you will notice a very bright object as you look towards the South and South West. That object will be the planet Venus, and it is the brightest planet in the sky.

Facts about Venus

Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system and is covered by thousands of volcanoes. Its atmosphere is toxic and prevents heat escaping into outer space. This is a classic example of a Greenhouse Effect. • Diameter: 12,104 km (Earth: 12,742 km) • Average distance from the Sun:108 Million km (Earth:150 Million km) • Surface temperature: 462 C • Solar day length: 117 Earth days • Year length: 225 Earth days • Moons: None Physically there is little difference between the sizes of Earth and Venus. The extreme heat does not allow water on the planet, and it is believed that the surface comprises of a “terrestrial-like basalt” i.e., a fine volcanic rock. It is possible that Venus may have been more habitable in its earlier history. It may have been covered in water, but this would have been evaporated due to the close proximity of the Sun. For further information: https:// www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/planetvenus

DIARY

Winter Solstice

Tuesday 21st December at 15.58 hours GMT. The day with the shortest daylight hours when the Sun reaches its most southerly point on its journey. Slowly but surely the days will become longer.

Meteorite Showers:

The Northern Taurids Peak 12/13th November - viewing conditions favourable. Look high towards the South East before midnight. Leonids Reach their maximum on 17/18th November viewing not ideal due to a full Moon. Located high in the South East. Geminids Reach peak activity on 13/14th December, located high in the South West. Mercury Visible in the morning for the first 10 days of November. Look South East 06.00/06.30 hours. Appears again towards the end of December close to Venus in the South West at sunset but could be difficult to observe. Venus Quite bright in the South West during dusk/early evening for the remainder of the year. Wishing all our readers a Happy, Healthy Festive Season John Harris

Relax and chill out. Get the family together and see if you can crack Cotswold Link’s Annual Family Christmas Quiz.

Wishing All Readers a Happy and Joyous Festive Season - John Harris

1. What is New Year’s Eve called in Scotland? 2. Who was Scrooge’s dead business partner in “A Christmas Carol”? 3. Whose coronation took place on Christmas Day? 4. Which record was a Christmas number 1 in 1975 and 1991? 5. Who walked from Gloucestershire to London? 6. From which country did the Christmas tree originate? 7. In which pantomime do Robin Hood and Maid Marian appear? 8. How many reindeer does Santa have? 9. How many ghosts visited Scrooge? 10. In Christmas Carol what is the name of Bob Cratchit’s son? 11. Which chess piece can only be moved diagonally? 12. The first country to win the World Cup at football? 13. The first football team to win both the FA Cup and the League in the same season? 14. The shortest serving monarch of Britain? 15. The third longest serving monarch of Britain 16. Where does the President of the United States Live? 17. Which King of England was killed by an arrow in the eye? 18. Which vowel is the only letter not on the top row of a Querty key board? 19. Who discovered Uranus? 20. What was signed by King John at Runnymede in 1214? 21. A film about a miner’s son who became a ballet dancer? 22. An academic who captained England at cricket and football in addition to becoming the world long jump record holder? 23. A Gloucestershire lad who played football and cricket for England? 24. Who was caught trying to blow up the Houses of Parliament? 25. From what tree do acorns grow? 26. Once known as Peking? 27. 40 – 40 in tennis?

28. When do Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall in the same year? 29. Capital of Australia? 30. Who painted the Mona Lisa? 31. From which town did Joseph and Mary come before arriving in Bethleham? 32. Who discovered Christmas Island? 33. In which Judean city did the three wise men first visit in their search for Baby Jesus? 34. In which year of the 1960’s did the Post Office introduce Christmas postage stamps? 35. What is Father Christmas known as in France? 36. Which socialist state officially ceased to exist on 25th December 1991? 37. Name the angel that brought the news that Jesus was to be born to Mary? 38. Which country donates a Christmas tree to London each year? 39. Where does the Queen traditionally spend Christmas? 40. Who composed “Auld Lang Syne”?

Answers p14