Map of Stone Advent Windows 2010 - Print this to get your stamps

Stone traders are delivering an unusual present to their shoppers – a giant town Advent calendar.

In the build-up to Christmas 24 shops, businesses and organisations will each decorate their window on the theme of a carol and open it on a different day in December.

It is a community project between businesses, schools and churches and has been organised by Christ Church member Pam Pott, who was inspired by similar projects in Welwyn Garden City and Brockley, London.

Children from local schools will help some of the shops decorate their windows and the first one will be opened on Wednesday, December 1.

A different shop will open another window each day until Friday, December 24.

On Christmas Eve at 9.30am, there will be an unusual carol service when singers, musicians and shoppers will meet outside the Shelter Charity Shop on Lichfield Road and parade through town singing the appropriate carol outside each shop.

They will end up at Christ Church where the last window will be opened at 11am and there will be the chance to take part in a life-size crib scene followed by refreshments.

Children and adults will also have the chance to win a prize. Maps will be on offer throughout the town and in each shop, there will be a stamp with a date on which their window was opened. Children who collect all 24 stamps will receive a small gift at Christ Church on Christmas Eve and the first adult with 24 stamps will receive a free cut and blow dry at Shear Genius Hairdressers.

“This is a chance for the community to get involved and I am sure this fun event will attract people to the town,” said organiser Pam Pott.

The full list of shops and businesses with their Christmas carol window are:

Tim Tofts Violins (Hark the herald angles sing);
Chantilly (Twinkle, Twinkle little star);
Radford Art Gallery (See amid the winter’s snow);
Regent Travel (I saw three ships);
The Crown (I saw Mummy kissing Santa Claus);
Katherine House (Here comes Santa);
The Bike Shack (The first Noel);
Orange (Away in a manger);
Blue Room (Good King Wenceslas);
Yarn Gathering (While shepherds watched their flocks);
Taylored Floors (Jingle Bells);
The Mill (O come all ye faithful);
Birchill Chemist (Rudolph the red nosed reindeer);
Shelter (Silent Night);
Wikijum (We three kings);
Tinsley Garner (Do they know it’s Christmas);
Russel’s Butchers (We wish you a merry Christmas);
Bailey’s (When Santa got stuck up the chimney);
The Royal Exchange (God rest ye merry gentlemen)
Traditional Flower Co (Deck the halls with boughs of holly);
Home and Colour (I’m dreaming of a white Christmas);
Shear Genius (We’re walking in the air);
Kitchen Shop (Chestnuts roasting on an open fire);
Christ Church (Once in Royal David’s city).

For more details ring Pam and David Pott on 01785 286474 or email pam.pott@gmail.com

Press release issued by John Butterworth 01785 817465

Some more pictures and a video can be found at : – http://alittlebitofstone.com/category/advent-windows/