A Westmeath Christmas (2022)

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A Westmeath Christmas
TOPIC • December 8, 2022
Castletown-Geoghegan this Christmas
Get your best tractor decorated for the
Castletown-Geoghegan Christmas Tractor
Run, which is set to take place on Sunday,
December 18 at 12.30pm. All funds raised
on the day will go towards helping with
Streete at
Christmas
FAIRY LIGHT TRACTOR RUN
Tractor Runs are great fun and those
taking part and observing get a great
buzz from joining these community
events. Join the fun in Streete after
Christmas on Wednesday, December 28,
when a Fairy Light Tractor Run will
take place.
The convoy will set off from Streete
Parish Park around 6pm and
participants will follow a speedcontrolled
management vehicle, which
sets the pace along the well-organised
10km route, before the incredible sight
will make its way back to Streete Parish
Park. The run was a fantastic success
last year. Please spread the word. For
information call Declan on 086 812 3514
or Kevin on 087 137 5222.
WALKING TRACK MEMBERSHIP
Membership for Streete Parish Park
walking track is due for renewal in
January. This might solve a Christmas
present idea for someone you know who
enjoys walking on the track, or perhaps
someone you know who might like to
start walking.
New member application forms can be
found in the entrance hall of the Parish
Park or by calling into the office
upstairs on Tuesday, Wednesday or
Thursday from 10am until 1.30pm.
Single membership is €20 and a family
is €30.
Gift vouchers are available from the
office. Please ask any of the committee
or call Kevin 087 137 5222. All cheques
should be made payable to Streete
Parish Park.
Ballinafid
Multyfarnham
Bunbrosna
★ There’s always plenty to do in the
Multyfarnham area and Christmas is
no different. Read on and get involved
in what’s happening in your area this
Christmas.
Christmas Wreath
Crafting
★ Christmas wreath making activities
with BMB ACTIVE takes place on
Tuesday, December 13 in
Multyfarnham Community Centre
from 10am to 12.30pm. It should be
enjoyable, and all you need to bring is
your scissors. Text ‘Wreath’ to 087 172
3256 to book your place.
Christmas Dinner
★ There will be Christmas Dinner and
music in the Annebrook Hotel with
increased church heating expenses in St.
Michael’s Church, Castletown-Geoghegan.
This festive tractor run was proposed by a
very alert parishioner, who suggested it
might be a good idea.
BMB ACTIVE on Tuesday, December
13 at 3pm. To join in the fun, please
text ‘Christmas Dinner’ to 087 173 2356
and let us know if you have any
specific dietary requirements.
Carols by Candlelight
★ Join us for Carols by Candlelight at
the National Concert Hall on
Wednesday, December 19 at 3pm. This
is a lovely way to spend an evening
during the festive period. If you’re
interested in joining us, please text
‘NCH’ to 087 172 3256 and book your
ticket and place on the bus to the
venue and home again, safe and
sound!
Abbey Blooms
★ Something exciting is coming to
Abbey Blooms this December. Come
along on Thursday, December 15 from
11am to 5pm and experience
Christmas at Abbey Blooms with
Santa, a magical Christmas garden,
music, market stalls and much more.
Your support in any way would be most
welcome. Be sure and tell as many people
as possible (with tractors) and make this a
real fun event and a great day out.
Refreshments will be provided after the
Sandra and Carmel McGivney with Harry McCormack
pictured with some of the great handicrafts at the
Clonkill Christmas Market on Sunday, November 20
at Clonkill GAA club.
event in St. Michael’s Hall, Castletown-
Geoghegan, and a cake sale will also take
place in the hall afterwards.
There will be a prize for the Best Festive
Tractor.
FELT WREATH
There are many types of wreaths to make
at Christmastime. This is an easy,
evergreen wreath that won’t dry out so
you can use it every year. Using a few
variations of green coloured felt and
small red baubles, adds a festive look to
your creation.
To make, take one wreath foam
(available in hobby shops / florists) and
cut your different coloured felt into strips
different shades of green felt – cut long
enough to ensure you have at least 3
inches hanging after you tie the strips in
a knot around the foam.
Tie the strips (in alternate colours)
around a wreath form. Attach small red
baubles / ornaments throughout the
wreath with hot glue. Loop a length of
wide ribbon around the wreath to hang.
Gift as it is or in a colourfully decorated
box.
WOOD PALLET CHRISTMAS TREE
Avoid the fuss of Christmas trees this
year and paint your own! Go one step
further and decorate it with small lights,
and set a few presents outside. This might
be a nice gift for your grandparents for
outside their door so they don’t have to
fuss with Christmas trees inside.
To make, simply paint a tree on a
shipping crate and embellish the slats
with coloured pom-poms and small lights.
THUMBPRINT CHRISTMAS CARDS
Get ‘all thumbs – big and small’ on board
to make (and gift) these unique Christmas
cards, which start with plain white
notecards. Make postcard type cards or
proper cards to use or gift in packs of 5/
10. These make a fantastic family ‘from
our home to yours’ cards.
To make, organise an evening around
the kitchen table with all the family.
Agree on some prints and proceed to get
stuck in! Use festive ink or paint colours,
such as greens, reds, browns, but use
whatever colours you wish to create your
masterpiece.
For a card with greenery, use green ink
to stamp thumbs and press onto card to
make leaves. Add berries and bow with a
red marker and stems with green watercolour
paint.
For a card with a string of lights, stamp
thumbs in your selection of coloured ink
shades. Use a black fine-tip marker to
draw a string connecting the lights and
write your greeting on the card.
For a reindeer herd card, simply stamp
thumbs in brown ink and press onto
blank card. Use fine-tip black/brown
markers to draw antlers, eyes, and noses,
making sure you add at least one red nose
(for Rudolph!).