Page 21 - 1.News and Views Spring 2025 for Jim.

Christmas on the Isle of Wight Laura Sunderland
Lymington Meeting

I always enjoy my visit to the Isle of Wight, where my son and his wife live. The island seems content to
remain itsself, resisting modernity with its landscape of rolling hills and small fields; still farmed the
traditional way without the use of artificial fertilisers and sprays. It is one of the few places in the UK
where red squirrels can still be sighted.

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On the morning of December 25 my son took me to Christmas service at the small parish church of
Thorley, where the people greeted each other as old friends and we all shook hands. We then pro-
ceeded to Colwell Bay (not far from Totland), to see the traditional “Christmas Swim”. Here we found a
gathering of about twenty people, dressed on this chilly December morning in only their swimming
attire and Santa hats. “BRRRR!!”

They advanced in a line, as one, and entered the icy waters together. It must have been absolutely
freezing! For a brief moment the Solent was adorned with Santa hats bobbing about on the waves. It
didn’t last long! One by one, these intrepid swimmers turned for home, leaving only a few hardy souls
in the water. Friends and family were waiting ashore with enveloping towels and flasks of coffee. I
think that that is one Isle-of-Wight tradition that I would not want to share!

A little further up the cliff-side was a double-decker bus, equipped with a built-in bar, small tables and
chairs were arranged outside and customers were beginning to assemble. This , my son told me, is
“The Beer Bus” or more politely “the Travelling Tavern” which will go on to do a tour of the Island.

We did our own mini-tour following the line of the cliffs and enjoying the sea views on this calm, grey,
peaceful Christmas morning. Then home we went, where Michelle ,(Bryan’s wife) had prepared a vege-
tarian Christmas feast for us, with lots of little intriguing dishes. How many other folk, I wondered,
would be consuming Sea-weed as part of their Christmas lunch?

Seaweed prepared with love and initiative, can actually be quite tasty! I respect Brian and Michelle’s
wishes in being vegan/vegetarian, although I would not myself, want to take this step. But this is a de-
bate for another time! We had one more tradition to follow, which most people in the UK will have
been following together, as we settled down at three o’clock to listen to the King’s speech. For Charles,
this responsibility has come in his senior years and I think he is trying his best to follow his Mother’s
example and to use his position well, giving us all a life of service.

A Happy New Year to you all,

Laura Sunderland.

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