Carols in the Street.

The film 'The Holiday`, starring Jude Law and Cameron Diaz, was filmed in the village of Shere. Mid August saw the shop windows decorated for Christmas and the snow machines moved in to cover the landscape appropriately for the scenes. With a significant Norman church and full of original 12th and 13th century cottages it's no wonder that it's often used for filming and is claimed to be the most photographed village. Never as much as at Christmas time is there such truism as with the romantic vision of the film directors.

Every year the locals, and not so local, gather in the square to sing carols. All the shops and houses are decorated with immaculate taste and, on a good evening such as tonight, doors are left open so you can glimpse inside these original buildings. The decorations in the tree, in the centre of the square, provides the main light. The same Carol Sheet comes out every year. Drinks from the pub are brought out into the street and through traffic has to creep through the throng. Torches, lanterns and the off mobile phone illuminate the scores. The public enthusiastically call out to decide which carols will be sung, then more or less tuneful voices carry far in the air... and the event is absolutely delightful.

In a mild 12 degrees, it was difficult to think that 24 hours earlier the winds were starting to scream and the rain was heavy enough to cause the Tillingbourne river, which 'can't' overflow, to burst it's banks.

This morning I struggled to get home as the A24 was transformed into a raging river, debris from fallen trees and branches littered the road and the most unlikely of areas were flooded. A large tree blocked the main road, half way home, causing me to turn back and take a much longer route. I was relieved to reach my door... 5am is not the best time to travel alone in those conditions.

Well, Christmas is upon us. May Santa be good to one and all!