Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat, and the Big Switch on of the Gorey Main Street Christmas Lights by Santa Claus is on Sat Nov 25th.
I had been following the preparations for the past few weeks with the lanterns erected on Esmonde Street followed by the streetlights. On Friday 17th the delicate operation of erecting the decorative lights on the streetscape trees commenced.
These trees were recently pruned for their annual short back and sides trim look. They are now ready to show off their winter shapely form adorned with the bright lights.
I was in Gorey Shopping centre this week and the mall was Christmas Central adorned with elaborate Christmas trees and other decorations. It really put me in Christmas mood.
Then I went out to Springmount Garden Centre to buy a few cyclamen plants to brighten up the front porch for Christmas. They were in festive mood with their Christmas shop open. I was really infused with the spirit of Christmas after my injection of festive jollity here.
And now with the household’s chores done for Monday 20th Nov I headed downtown.
There was a discernible change here since last week with bit of giddiness in the air as Christmas preparation was upped a few gears. I noticed some delicate Christmas hand painting being executed on John Doyle’s window. Their Christmas hampers were also appearing on the other window.
Next door Mc Cabes had an attractive Christmas window display with lots of Xmas pressie boxes. Black Amber had a huge red bow on the door with the window festooned with bright lights.The Lipstick boutique has a beautifully designed window with the Christmas display of red parcels to the right. A lovely white Santa is beaming out at us from the Shu 4 U window.
Anne Swaine in her card shop has a very nice, beautifully arranged display of quality gifts in her front windows and The Meadow Café upstairs had their entrance door bedecked with a very seasonal red berried garland. I loved the ornate Christmas wreath hanging over Collins jeweller’s door.
From left to right, McCabes Shu4U and Lipstick Boutique’s 2023 Christmas Windows
Fifth Avenue window has very festive windows with their Xmas trees featuring big in their promotion of the season.
Partridges went for large characters for their window and the EBS down the street had mortgages advertised in festive displays. Gorey design solutions premises is awash with lots of colourful Christmas lights and Valu Mart home and DIY shop has great variety of Christmassy gifts, plants and household bits and pieces.
Lloyd’s pharmacy had a nice white Christmas tree giving a festive look to the place while Redmond dry Cleaners, their next-door neighbours went for the frosty theme in their window.
From left to right – Fifth Avenue Gorey, Serena & The Gaslamp Gallery on Gorey’s Esmonde St
Going down Esmonde Street Eoin O Connor had many paintings on display. The Gas Lamp Gallery went for squirrels nibbling with seasonal paintings on window display.
I loved the seasonal colourful display by Jalanda and the nice Yuletide window arrangement by Beauty Bym.
Lu and Mol went for a seasonal jewellery display while Marian Mc Kenna in La Crème had a seasonally lit beautiful window. I loved the nice Christmas arrangement in the Enable Ireland window. Serenas really impressed with their artful arrangement while Lily Blooms had a very attractive window featuring an ornate Christmas Theatre surrounded by decorative woven candles set against a display of White Christmas tree lights.
Coming up the main street I liked Liz Collins Big red bow and Book station really impressed me with a very eye-catching Christmas window display.
Pictured below from left to right, Funges team preparing their Christmas window, Lily Bloom & Jalanda on Gorey’s Edmonde St
Funges had Santa Claus dominating the window with lovely seasonal wreaths, red bows, and some festive garlands which was a very attractive work of Christmas art.
Donal’s had a well-ordered colourful Christmas display as had E body beauty, Halfords, Maureen’s and Sally West which really brightened up this end of town.
Munchkins had the sleigh and Christmas tree in place, and I look forward to viewing the finished display. Whitmores Jewellers have gone for a very classy polar theme with the polar bears bedecked in festive red and white scarves.
At the top end of town Powers Lawnmowers had erected festive lights bringing some Christmas cheer.
It really is nice to stroll around the town by night and admire and appreciate the huge amount of work and effort put in by traders to brighten up Gorey and all our lives for the festive season.
I know since my Monday night stroll that many other traders are beginning to start their window displays while others are embellishing theirs in preparation for The Big Switch On and the best window award on Saturday.
I am really looking forward to next Saturday night to see the lights and shop windows when Gorey again becomes a winter wonderland full of cheer and happiness for the Christmas season.
Oh, and by the way don’t forget to write your letter to Santa and post early for Christmas.
Shop local and support your local trader.
Mick O Callaghan
