Events: December, 2024

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December 2024

Here is a round-up of the events at The Swan during December, 2024.

2nd Dec: Stitch Gang

It was a snowman's meet-up at Stitch Gang on Saturday. The Grinch dropped by! Every fortnight, all welcome.

6th Dec: Winter Fayre

The students held their annual Winter Fayre with plenty of stalls. The Living Advent Calendar also visited and our college put on a performance for the assembled crowd.

A message from the students ... We'd like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who came down to our Winter Fayre on Friday. You all helped make it a huge success and we all had a blast! Merry Christmas!

8th Dec: Christmas Lunch

There was a large party in for lunch today ... 38. And they invited Lou and Ian to join so they were cooking for 40. All served at the same time. All hot! All delicious. Well done to Micky and the team.

11th Dec: Quiz Night

This week's quiz was close at the top with Patrick's Posse winning by just a half point. The winner of the raffle was a member of Boys Banned who won glass on wine.

partick's Posse, winners of the 11th Dec quiz

Gent from Boys Banned, winner of the raffle on the 13th Nov quiz

13th Dec: Chatty Café

Our regular Chatty Café was busy today with a fabulous turnout.

13th Dec: Jack Rankin MP

Our local MP and a supporter of The Swan came in for a quick pint before the Christmas Market started. He met with Micky and also some of the committee of the FoTS.

Jack Rankin with some of the Friends of The Swan committee

13th Dec: Christmas Market

The Friends of The Swan Christmas Market last Fri was a lovely evening, with everyone joining in the Christmas spirit! Thanks to all our great stall holders, to Micky and team for keeping the drink flowing and to the volunteers who not only organised the event but also cooked up a tasty food offering! The event raised c£800 for the Renovation Fund, so most of all a huge thank you to everyone who came along to support us.

Other side of the Coach Hosue with stalls

Christmas related stall ready for the crowds

Christmas cards and luxury items on a stall

One or two of the locals having a beer in the Courtyard

Inside the pub was busy during the Christma Market

Brazier for the young hearted to keep warm

15th Dec: Christmas Carols

We were lucky to have a mild night on Sunday for our Annual Carol Singing in The Courtyard. The Broom Farm Band treated us to lots of Christmas songs as well as traditional carols, and the Community came out in force to sing-a-long with gusto! With many thanks to Rev Rosie and the band.

The Broom Farm Ensemble during one of the carols

Excellent playing by the Broom Farm ensemble

Brass section of the Broom Farm ensemble

The Courtyard was a busy place during the evening

A full table in The Courtyard with carol singers

18th Dec: Christmas Quiz

The quiz had a different type of Christmas-y theme and proved quite challenging for all! But 'Swanning Around The Christmas Tree' were victorious, winning not only the £25 bar tab, but also the special prize for the bonus Christmas Cracker Joke round! Barbara, a guest of Hettie's Heroes, won a glass of wine from the raffle, meaning the cash jackpot will start the new year on £100 at our next quiz on Wednesday 8th January 2025!

Winners of the Quiz: Swanning Around The Christmas Tree

The pub and the Coach House were full for the special Christmas Quiz.

19th Dec: Christmas Bingo

At our final Bingo night of the year, we adapted our calls for 1-12 to the 12 days of Christmas and heartedly sang out every time there was a call! Patrick, Dawn and Sue all one a small drink for a line, and Sandra and Simone (twice) won big drinks for a full house. Caller Richard gave us all a treat by turning the final Top of the Bill cash jackpot round into Music Bingo, with Christmas number ones from the 50s onwards! Daniel won £10 for being the first to get 4 corners, while the top prize of £25 went to....you've guessed it, Simone again! The bingo Gods were definitely shining on her for Christmas!

Patrick - line

Dawn - line

Simone - full house

Sue - line

Daniel - four corners on the Music Bingo cash round

Simone - full house on the Music Bingo cash round

Sandra - full house

20th Dec: Chatty Café

Santa's little helpers - aka the Chatty Café - wrapped up the presents for the following day, Breakfast with Santa.

21st Dec: Breakfast with Santa

Little (and not so little!) people were mesmerised at their Breakfast with Santa and thoroughly enjoyed their gifts from his sack, lovingly wrapped by his Chatty Elves!

Young lad discussing Christmas with Santa

22nd Dec: Film Night

It was a packed Coach House for Film Night - this month it was the Muppet's Christmas Adventure.

25th Dec: Christmas Day

On the Big Day itself, the bar was packed with Swan regulars and their families, and we were delighted to see many new faces too. All had popped down for a cheeky pint whilst the turkey cooked – it was a fabulous, if busy, couple of hours which really captured the essence of our community pub. And three cheers for Michael, Tess and Harry who did a sterling job managing the ever-increasing queue at the bar!

Inside the Bar was busy on Christmas Day

The regulars - Joise and Garry - came in for a wee drink on Christmas Day

There were a lot of Crimbo hats being worn

Outside in the Courtyard on Christmas Day

AThe Courtyard and Coach House looking fabulous

31st Dec: Hogmanay Party

And as the year drew to a close, we partied like it’s 2024! Goodness gracious, was that really a quarter of a century ago?! Directors Will and Hollie cooked up a storm in the kitchen with their yummy loaded mash pots, and Micky took to the turntables (metaphorically speaking!) to play us all the best sing-a-long classics until it was time for the bongs and a rousing chorus of Auld Lang Syne! Thanks to everyone who joined in and celebrated another amazing year at the pub – here’s to much more in 2025!