O come, all ye neighbours

Has there ever been a year more deserving of a cracking community Yuletide celebration? After last year’s desultory Corona Christmas, we are determined to come together for a fabulous Festive Fair in the Square on Sunday 12 December. The celebrations will involve much mulled wine, festive cakes and local produce for sale, and a lusty session of festive seasonal singing.

Bakers from the Islington Women’s Institute will make sure we have a calorific choice of cakes to soak up the mulled wine. And a celestial choir of angelic Arlingtonians will sing in exultation and encourage us all to join in our favourite seasonal songs and carols.

Our trustworthy elves Arl and Tonia will be with us and we have put in a special request to Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson to drop all testing requirements and Passenger Locator Forms for sleigh drivers arriving from the Far North on 12 December.

And as we party like it’s 2019, we won’t forget the many locals for whom the festive season is a specially difficult time. We will be rattling buckets and waving card readers for donations to help Pack Up continue its sterling work providing Monday lunches and a sympathetic ear to the homeless and neighbours in need. The money we collect will also help finance the Platinum Royal Jubilee celebrations we plan to hold in the Square in June next year.

As well as the mulled wine, cakes and produce on offer, there will be a table for donations for Christmas presents to offer to those less fortunate than us at Pack Up’s Christmas Lunch. The Pack Up cooks always welcome staple goods such as tea, coffee, sugar, squashes and tinned goods. And at this time of year, treats such as warm socks, beanie hats, gloves, soaps, toothpaste, hand creams, chocolates and sweet biscuits will be very much appreciated.

Wrap up warm in your favourite Christmas finery and bring a lantern or torch. Festivities start at 3.30.