Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Country Highlight: The Netherlands
    • If You’re Moving Back Home After Uni …
    • Jane Austen in Lockdown: How her six novels are more relevant than ever
    • All About … Period Poverty
    • My Veggie Journey: How not being strictly Vegetarian is OK
    • Watch with Pride: Your Top TV Picks this Pride Month
    • Globe Trotting on Screen: Your Guide to Summer 2021
    • Struggling to Lose Weight? How to Spot the Signs of a Fad Diet
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Flickr
    Seren
    • News & Politics
      1. Local News
      2. UK News
      3. Uni News
      4. World News
      5. Politics
      6. Comment
      7. Business
      Featured

      SABB Election: The Full Result Breakdown

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      Retro? Chip shortage may bring vintage tech to your car.

      May 6, 2021

      Manizha – the artist causing a stir as the Russian representative for Eurovision 2021:

      May 6, 2021

      Starting a Business at University

      April 23, 2021
    • Arts & Culture
      1. Books
      2. Games
      3. Film
      4. Music
      5. TV
      6. Creative Corner
      Featured

      Bangor alumni podcast earns Hollywood cameo & BBC features

      By Amelia SmithMarch 7, 20210
      Recent

      Jane Austen in Lockdown: How her six novels are more relevant than ever

      July 7, 2021

      Watch with Pride: Your Top TV Picks this Pride Month

      May 17, 2021

      Globe Trotting on Screen: Your Guide to Summer 2021

      May 16, 2021
    • Lifestyle
      1. Fashion
      2. Food and Drink
      3. Social
      4. Health and Beauty
      5. Travel
      Featured

      Country Highlight: The Netherlands

      By Emily ShoultsMay 6, 20220
      Recent

      Country Highlight: The Netherlands

      May 6, 2022

      If You’re Moving Back Home After Uni …

      August 3, 2021

      All About … Period Poverty

      May 17, 2021
    • Discovery
      1. Science
      2. Environment
      3. History
      4. International
      Featured

      Brewing up a Storm: The History of Guinness

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      Manizha – the artist causing a stir as the Russian representative for Eurovision 2021:

      May 6, 2021

      Japan plan to release radioactive water into the ocean

      May 6, 2021

      The link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots

      April 29, 2021
    • Sport
      1. Varsity 2019
      2. Varsity 2018
      3. Varsity 2017
      4. Varsity 2016
      5. Varsity 2015
      6. Varsity 2014
      7. Varsity 2013
        • Varsity 2013 Results
        • Varsity 2013 – In tweets
      Featured

      Bangor Muddogs’ American Football: a young woman finding her place

      By Jade HillMarch 23, 20210
      Recent

      The 48-hour rise and fall of the European Super League

      April 27, 2021

      The European Super League is announced

      April 19, 2021

      Formula 1’s ‘Drive to Survive S3’ is released

      April 7, 2021
    • Students’ Union
      1. Union News
      2. Societies
      3. Volunteering
      4. Clubs
      Featured

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      By Caroline CartmillMarch 17, 20210
      Recent

      Bangor University Feminist Society

      March 30, 2021

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      March 17, 2021

      LGBT History Month in Bangor

      March 4, 2021
    • Issues
      • Current Issue
      • This year’s issues
      • Last year’s issues
      • Seren Archive
      • Seren Teams
    Seren
    Home»Students' Union»Societies»Society Girls.. go to Betwys-y-Coed Christmas Fayre
    Societies

    Society Girls.. go to Betwys-y-Coed Christmas Fayre

    Robyn WynnBy Robyn WynnDecember 22, 2012Updated:January 27, 2013No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    There is a rule in my house; no Christmas before December 1st. This is for the sanity of all around me as, for a month, I hail from the land of ice and snow. So, to fit as much Christmas in as possible, I attended the Betws-y-Coed Christmas 2012 in the ‘gateway to Snowdonia’ around 30mins drive from Bangor.

    The drive down the A5 was stunning, the mountains looked like someone had sprinkled them with sugar and some of the mini waterfalls had formed abstract sculptures of ice around their mouths.

    The 1st Saturday of December signifies something special in Betws-y-Coed: exposure to the most exuberant and excitable Christmas lovers around, myself included. This breed of humanity also known as homo-santa, has been known to throw down over Christmas displays and strangle each other with lengths of 1inch red satin ribbon. Thankfully Sophie, a homo-scroogous, agreed to come along to keep me in order.

    I started out slow, with the petting of reindeer and birds of pray while making our way over to the Alpine Café. Flanked by a cast iron gorilla, the Alpine café is furnished in an eclectic array of styles and eras. Over a spicy chai latte, which, in my opinion is the beverage of the gods, I watched the flow of people coming off trains from Llandudno and further afield, and observed the general goings on around me; a toddler with an ice cream, in December, getting more on his face than in it. Great parenting skills.

    The tents around the common contained most of the crafty goings on with basket making tutorials, lantern making and face painting. I have to say I did queue up to have my face painted, but, being the kind person I am, and desperate for a cuppa, I gave up my spot for the under 10s to proceed. We then dawdled along to The Royal Oak, the pub that sponsored the whole event, to drink our volume in brew. However, en route, I got distracted by a sign advertising Christmas shortbread decorating, and all the control I’d been exercising simply fell away. I paid my £1 and through myself into the creative process. This was clearly a job for my A level Fine Art understanding and ability.  I hope you agree, it belongs in the Tate modern.

    I am a rather flawed individual; one of my foibles is that I’m a sucker for a funfair. Even if its just teacups. Along the high street, which runs perpendicular to the other row of shops in Betws-y-coed, was the cause of my distraction. Consisting of a high speed spinney thing, teacups, a children’s train ride and a hook-a-duck, to use the technical terms, the annual funfair draws and herds the homo-santas towards the other festive shops. One that particularly spoke to me was a deli with maybe eight different types of gingerbread house and a whole wall of cheeses.

    To round of the day, the Royal Oak puts on an exquisite fireworks display. There have been some pretty good ones recently, the Olympics for example, but for  a place with a population of around 550, if that, it is a spectacular show and a wonderful end to a really packed day. So if you’re free on the 1st Saturday of December next year, hop on a train to Llandudno junction and change to Betws-y-Coed, or just drive down the A5.

     

    A55 Betwys-y-Coed Christmas Christmas Fayre issue227 Llandudno North Wales sign Thankfully Sophie
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Robyn Wynn

    Related Posts

    North Wales on Screen: Welsh TV Locations To Visit

    April 11, 2021

    The Ultimate Literary Tour of Bangor

    April 3, 2021

    Bangor University Feminist Society

    March 30, 2021

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    MORE INFORMATION
    • ABOUT
    • ADVERTISE
    • CONTACT US
    • GET INVOLVED
    • MEMBERS
    Links
    • Bangor University Bangor University
    • Google+ Google+
    • Undeb Bangor Undeb Bangor
    About

    Seren is Bangor University Students’ Union’s English Language Newspaper

    We have editorial independence from both Bangor University and Bangor Students’ Union. Seren is written by students for students and we’d love you to get involved!

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.