Early last Friday a group of women gathered in York Minster to weave its Advent wreath. MATT CLARK joined them to produce a record of the process from start to finish.
IT'S a mizzly morning in York and nothing feels very festive yet. While the lights on Stonegate help, as they always do, on a day like this it seems whoever said Yuletide doesn't begin until Noddy Holder screams 'It's Christmas' never said a truer word.
But no one told Beryl Plimmer. While the youngest members of the Minster choir practice their genuflecting, Beryl is dragging sackfuls of dewy ivy into the North Transept.
And in a couple of hours all this greenery will be turned into a huge garland.
"I've been doing this for about 18 years," says Beryl.
"It's supposed to be the biggest, shall we say it is the biggest? Yes this is the biggest Advent wreath in England."
Beryl works alone from just after eight to just before nine, when fellow arrangers from Acomb flower guild, Helmsley and the Minster turn up to help out.
One of them is Jean Potter who has just arrived, secateurs in hand. She's been helping with the wreath for five years now.
"I used to bring my own ivy but had to cut it down as it was killing the lilac tree," says Jean. "I do still have a small source though. It's beg steal and borrow. We all bring as much as we can."
More volunteers arrive, all armed with bags of foliage from their gardens and local farms. Then there are the blocks of oasis – too many to count – as the women fetch, measure, carry and twist their twines into ten metres of something truly magical.
Just ask the Minster Schoolchildren. By 11 o' clock the wreath is ready and in they troop, eager to help head verger Alex Carberry with the candles.
All are taller than most of the children, but what do they represent? Alex asks, North, south, east and west, proffers one bright spark. There are rumours of tumbleweed in the nave.
Finally it's time to hoist the wreath in position. ''I can't do it without your help," Alex tells his young audience, so on a count of three they wish it upwards, eyes wide in wonder as the garland rises, seemingly unaided, towards the lofty, vaulted ceiling.
"There, you see," says Alex. "Christmas magic."
Indeed it is.
VIDEO: Watch as volunteers begin piecing together the Minster’s Advent Wreath:
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