Reimagining Christmas Christmas seems a long way off, but the Mayor’s plans have to be made. A Christmas Card design competition has just been launched, and all of the Primary Schools in Seaford have been invited to encourage their pupils to take part. Information on entering has been e-mailed to the schools. The theme for the Mayor’s Christmas Card this year is ‘The First Christmas, reimagined in Seaford’. While not expecting the following suggestions to be turned into designs, in order to explain the concept here are some examples: singing Angels appear to shepherds in the fields by High and Over; the Magi came from the East, so they might ride their camels from Eastbourne down over Seaford Head; Joseph and a heavily pregnant Mary might arrive by donkey along the main road from Newhaven or might be pictured getting off the number 12 bus. A Seaford hostelry or B&B might be imagined turning the family away because they were full up for Christmas, but offering the family an empty garage nearby to sleep in. COVID considerations mean that entries are to be scanned and sent in by the participating schools as jpegs. Mayor’s Christmas Cards using the chosen designs will be electronic ones e-mailed on behalf of the town to local dignitaries and others. All entries received from schools taking part in the childrens Christmas Card design competition will be displayed on the Mayor’s Facebook. In addition to the children’s competition, the Mayor will be pleased to receive imaginative entries from adults and older pupils interpreting the same theme. Mary and Joseph travelled across their country and were homeless when they arrived in Bethlehem, could this be reimagined as happening in Seaford? It’s a relevant experience for people in the UK this year. The Magi presented gold, frankincense and myrrh, what would wise people in Seaford present to Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus this Christmas? Soon after the birth of Jesus, the family fled terror and an oppressive government and became refugees, equally relevant this year, but how
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would you imagine it at Christmas in Seaford? Primary age designs will be entered in the competition through the participating schools. There is no competition for adults and older pupils, but the best of the designs as jpegs will be uploaded to the Mayor’s Facebook from 1st December onwards. Entries by adults and senior school pupils should be emailed as jpegs to the Mayor cllr.rodney.reed@ seafordtowncouncil.gov.uk.
Another advance notice – Seaford Rotary are making plans for a ‘Twilight Fancy Dress Walk’ as a fundraiser for the Mayor’s Charities and other local groups. This is intended for early Spring and depends on COVID regulations permitting and suitable weather. Registrations are open, and details can be obtained from jeannecash@gmail.com. ‘Support our Seaford Charities’, a fundraising event for the ‘Mayor’s Charity Initiative’ had to be postponed to April 2021. It’s a coming together of Martello Rotary, NPS Lions, Seaford Rotary, Seaford Bonfire Society and National Coastwatch Institution – Newhaven. The contact is president@martellorotary.org.uk and details for a COVID-safe event will be published early in the New Year. Plans are being made by Rev. Andy Machin, the Mayor’s Chaplain, for a Carol Concert for Seaford, to which the Mayor and local representatives will be invited. It will be at Seaford Baptist Church on Saturday afternoon 19th December. Details will be announced closer to the date. Social distancing will of course be important and if it is not possible to hold a ‘real’ Carol Concert, a pre-recorded ‘virtual’ Carol Concert will be uploaded to YouTube for 19th December using the same ‘COVID-safe’ technology as for the virtual Civic Service. Photos from top: Deputy Mayor of Seaford Cllr. Jean Cash; Mayor of Seaford Cllr. Rodney Reed
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