The overhead lights along the High Street are new this year. The curtain of lights in the museum and the candles on the Market Place are there for the second year.

The Finishing Touch won the best window for the second year running.

All back to front in the window of Costa.

The Abbey Shopping Centre has these shooting stars which are not quite so new.

On Saturday Carbon Cutters will be holding a short candle-lit vigil in the Market Place in Abingdon (round the Christmas Tree) at 5.30pm to support the negotiators in Copenhagen.

Also fairly new is the Majestic Wine Warehouse just off the A34 and next to the Esso Garage. It is a warehouse and so you don’t just pop in for 1 bottle. Although to cater for people like me – without a wine cellar – they now start with 6 bottles where it used to be 12.

Out of the other side there is a view of The Abingdon Community Hospital.

I still hear people saying they are going to Londis even though the franchise has been changed to Select Convenience for a couple of months now. Select Convenience are part of the same group as Bargain Booze and Thoroughgoods.

As you may know there are two cemeteries, both near Spring Road. There is the old cemetery with the two chapels.

During 2009 it had the walls recapped and pointed as they were in need of some TLC.

And there is the new cemetery round which the gates and railings have had some TLC in 2009. The railings look quite sharp now with the gold tops.

Also new bins are being installed to allow separation of compostable from other waste.

And within the new cemetery a new garden of remembrance for cremations is in the process of being created. The old one is almost full.

The cemetery itself has – maybe – another 12-15 years, depending on various factors, before it starts getting full.