Today's Quilter - UK (2019-11)

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HOME TOURl ‘twas the month before christmas

hangingvintagepaperdecorations

consistingofreamsofcrepeandpaper

chainssetagainstthebackdropofher

redandwhitekitchen,completewith

a retro1950sfridgeandradio, both in

shades of red of course.

Allinthefamily

Familytraditionsareat theheart

ofthecelebrations,andtheShaw

householdhassomequirkytraditions

whichkickoinmid-Decemberwhen

theentireclan,bundledupinwinter

woollies,maketheirwaytothelocal

pubfora traditionallunchinfront

ofa roaringfire.Onthewayhome,

theycarefullyselecttheirfavourite

Christmastreewhichis thenrelocated

toitsnewhomeinthefrontroom.All

theboxesofChristmasdecorationsare

decanted from the attic and the family

gettoworktransformingthetree,

fuelledwithmugsofteaand regular

roundsoftoastandjam.

Everynowandagain,thereis a

pauseinproceedingsasthecheery

soundofMichaelBublésinging‘Feliz

Navidad’fillsthehouseandtheentire

familystoptodotheirownlittle

Christmasdance,choreographedby

Mandy’sdaughter.Everyoneinthe

familyknowstheroutineandeveryone

takestothefloor(Ifyou’redesperate

toseeMandyinactionthenvisither

Instagram page and scroll through her

postsuntilyouseeMandyinfront

ofherChristmastree.Nowpressplay;

I defyanyonetowatchthiswithout

breakingintoa hugesmile!).

OnChristmasEve,thefamily

headintothecentreofHailshamto

a charming,independentEdwardian

cinema– TheHailshamPavilion

• forthefiveo’clocksittingofthe
  Christmasmovie.Restoredtopreserve
  thecharacteroftheGoldenAgeof
  cinema,it’slushredvelvetseating
  anddrapesaretheperfectbackdrop
  for a Christmas flick, whether that be

TheHailshamPavilionCinema,withits

beautifullyrestoredinterior,is theperfect

setting for a family Christmas movie

Photography: Courtesy Of Ray Beckwith, Hailsham Pavilion Cinema