At this time of year, TV begin to show christmas movies, at any time of the day. Recently I was scroling through the channels, (when I should have been doing university work), when I stumbled across a move called “Christmas Perfection”. The movie is about a young woman who wakes up, the day after thanksgiving, and finds herself in her “perfect Christmas village”. In this village her parents are still together, she has the perfect boyfriend, and every day is christmas, and it seems like the perfect place.I am not going to go into detail of the film, becasue that is not the point of this blog post. I bring up this movie becasue today I found myself in my own Perfect christmas village, in Yorkshire.
Today I went on a little adventure to a little town in the heart of Yorkshire, in England. This is a little town known as Skipton. Every year, for the last 24 years, at christmas Skipton have a very famous christmas market, where the whole town goes
Christmas Mad! I dont mean a little, I mean completely and utterly mad, and it is AMAZING!
For me I love christmas. For as long as I can remember my christmas tree goes up on the first of Decemeber, and I begin singing christmas songs, as soon as it is seen as socially acceptable, so a town like Skipton, where christmas literary takes over, is my dream come true!
Part of the festival is inspuired by the works of Charles Dicksons, and this is very clear as you walk aroun the town. Local busniesses and people, dress in traditional victorian dress, which was common around the era when Dicksons was writing, his classic christmas tale, A Christmas Carol. 
Looking around and seeing the villagers in the traditional victorian dress, really makes you feel like you have been transported back in time. When we think of christmas we imagine, the show. We grow up surrounded by the romantasized images of people sking on lakes which are frozen over, and walking around in the show, in this tradional dress, however we know we will never be part of it, however seeing the villiagers in this dress, made me feel like I could be part of that romantasized images, I have always been surrounded by, and really made the christmas spirit feel real.
Something which also helps add to the effectivness of Skipton christmas festival, is the fact of how picturesque the town is in general. Skipton is the type of villiage which you would espect to see in Harry Potter. It is a small little town filled with little cottages, quaint cobbled streets, and there is a real sence of christmas spirit, which is enchanced by the christmas lights, and music which fill the sreets during the festival. What also helps is how welcoming, and accomidating the local people are, which makes the fesival feel like a fun safe place for all the family.
The town is also filled with something for everyone. There are many local busniesses, which seem to sell anything you could think of. There are old fashioned sweet shops, stalls selling handmade gifts, bakers, cafes, pubs, (there is even a shop which sold Harry Potter, and Disney Stuff (I got very excited about this 🙂 ).
As well as the shops, throughout the festvial there are event which happen in the street. There are street performers e.g. magicians. There are puppet shows, and live music. When I was there were real life raindeer. There is a santa’s grotto. A torch light procession through the town, and there is an evening carol service, which was lead by the victor, which was my favorite part of the day, because there was a real sence of community and it made me feel ready for christmas.
Going to Skipton has well, and truely made me ready for christmas. It is a great day out for the whole family, and if you are ever in the area I would highly recommed a visit.
Love
Emma xx
E's Journey 