Penny Fray tells the stories behind the festive scenes at the mother church of the Diocese of Chester, from the elf telling tales in the Chapter House, to the challenges of decorating the ancient building.
In preparation to welcome friends and family to Chester Cathedral this festive season, staff and volunteers are working tirelessly organising tree festivals and illuminations, concerts and soul-stirring services. Here are some of those spreading the joy
The Christmas Elf
Emma Paige-Hibbs
Emma is a history buff, a cult author, calligrapher and sewing enthusiast, and for five winters now, she has traversed the white wilderness of Lapland to become one of Santa’s elves, a role she is about to reprise for Chester Cathedral this December.
'I've always adored Christmas. I first put on my elf hat in my teens, before joining Chester Zoo for their festive lanterns event,' she says. 'While there, I was given the opportunity to head out to a tiny village, 90 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Lapland.
'I started as a regular elf (as strange as that may sound), but quickly became the 'storytelling elf', bringing fairy tales and folklore to life. I performed more than a thousand stories in my little log cabin.'
Emma describes her Finnish adventure as magical, not only because of the sparkling snow, ethereal northern lights and roaming reindeer, but because of the children. 'Seeing their faces light up was a gift that never stopped giving,' she says.
This year Emma will be donning her elf hat again but this time it will be for Chester Cathedral’s tree-clad Chapter House rather than the frozen forests of the north.
'I'll be telling the tale of Awesome Anselm, written by the cathedral’s very own Canon Jane Brooke,' she says. Aside from storytelling in a cloud of sparkles and snowflakes, the admissions assistant will also be welcoming visitors to the cathedral and taking them to the tower.
'The Tower Tour is a winding climb up spiral staircases and along high galleries, leading to the top of the bell tower for a view that even a flying reindeer would find tough to beat,' she says.
The Light Seeker
Dr Tim Stratford
Winter brings shorter days, darker nights and colder weather but as Christmas draws nearer, the Dean of Chester Cathedral says we should all embrace the light.
'Christmas happens in the middle of winter and it’s a dark season, but we’re all about light and lights here, so it’s a good place to be,' says Tim.
On November 24, thousands of sparkling lights are switched on for Chester Cathedral’s annual Christmas Tree Festival, sparking a calendar full of concerts and services.
'This year’s planning starts as soon as the previous Christmas is finished,' says the Anglican priest and author. 'There are two sides to my role as dean. One is planting ideas, encouraging people and then accepting the fact not all your ideas are going to happen. The second is about hosting, which includes social and cultural events as well as worship, which I share with my colleagues.”
The dean’s diary is usually full but he remains unfazed by all the hustle and bustle. 'My life is busy all the time but during the festive season it’s different,' he explains.
'It’s more public, more so than Easter because there are a lot of events outside as well as inside the cathedral. I don’t find it tiring though. I enjoy it. I’m an extrovert so I get energy being out there.'
A father and grandfather, he loves spending time with his family as well as the wider public. 'Last Christmas was the most special, not just because it’s the freshest in my mind but because we could all be together. We no longer had to see family members via Zoom, and it felt normal. But even during a Christmas of adversity there were all sorts of good things to appreciate.'
Tim thinks this year will be equally challenging but remains optimistic something positive will come from all the political and economic upheaval.
'This Christmas is going to be hard because it’s not only a dark and cold time of year but because rising costs may mean people spending less. I wonder whether this particularly tough time will bring the generosity out in people? I’m hopeful.
'The cathedral is an all-year-round experience. People who wouldn’t normally set foot in a church still come to us whatever the season. Of course, more people will come to worship at Christmas than other times of the year.
'I wouldn’t be the dean of a cathedral if I didn’t like the pomp and ceremony of Christmas here,' he adds.
Still, he also appreciates the quieter moments, and finds looking up at the stars on a crisp, clear evening equally illuminating.
'For me, the essence of Christmas is the light that darkness can’t overcome, literally as well as metaphorically.'
The Memory Maker
Richard Hodge
'I’m all about the prep when it comes to Christmas,' says Richard Hodge, a self-confessed Christmas enthusiast and events co-ordinator at Chester Cathedral.
His job is to enable everything from the Christmas Tree Festival to concerts and special activities.
In the height of summer, he is already contacting suppliers, organising the trees to be sold to businesses and juggling a hundred and one other tasks.
By late November, he is working 16-hour days but doesn’t complain. 'There are no frustrations because I love it, he says.
Known for his flamboyance and boundless energy, Richard has decades of experience running some of the world’s biggest events, from running the BAFTAs in London, to horse racing in Melbourne, Australia. Christmas at the Cathedral is just the icing on the cake.
'I wear a Christmas jumper every day and like creating that sense of seasonal magic,' he says. 'But I think my favourite bit is seeing all the kids coming into the cathedral and being wowed by its magnificence. Their eyes just light up.'
Tickets for some Christmas events sell out fast and that is why Richard’s advice is not to leave everything until the last second. 'Planning really is the key to a successful Christmas,' he says.
The History’s Heroine
Naomi Watts-Kitto
The idea of festive fun and the preservation of a nine-centuries-old building may seem at odds but Naomi Watts-Kitto, the cathedral’s conservator, is determined to find a compromise.
'Everyone wants the cathedral to look festive for Christmas, but the challenge is making the place look lovely without negatively affecting the fabric of the building,' she says. 'That means no sticking things on walls and resisting the temptation to take shortcuts.'
A current challenge for Naomi, and her colleagues in the works department, is finding a way to stabilise the two sponsored 14-ft high trees that will to stand outside the new west doors.
'This Christmas, the trees are much bigger than in previous years and they’re in places where they’ll need fixing to ensure they don’t fall over, so our role is to ensure that neither the cathedral nor anything or anyone else, is harmed by having them here.
'Weighted bases are being considered as well as tying them to the building face in a discreet way. Everything goes into the mortar joints because it’s easier to repoint a joint than to have a hole in the stone face. You don’t want to leave a scar.'
Naomi is also partly responsible for positioning the other 99 trees that make up the cathedral’s annual festival, as well as decorating the Medieval Chapter House.
'It’s about achieving a symbiotic relationship between events and conservation. The cathedral has been here for nearly a thousand years and we want it to be here for another thousand. Little actions can have big consequences.'
Blu Tack, for instance, is the bane of Naomi’s working life. 'Signs are put up everywhere, but we ask people not to use Blu Tack as it’s a greasy substance that can get stuck or leave stains. Instead, we prefer notices to go into stands. It’s all about finding alternative ways to do things and changing habits for the greater good.'
She acknowledges her passion for preservation doesn’t always make her popular. 'I sometimes feel like the Christmas Grinch as I’m always the one who has to say, "no, you can’t do that".'
We also ask the public who bring drinks to make sure they put lids on cups. Also, don’t bring food in as it can stain the floor and attract pests. We’re not talking about rats here but the little ones you can’t see such as moths that eat the textiles or the wood-boring insects that can eat the choir stalls, which we want to protect.
'Ideally, have your mince pies and mulled wine in the Cathedral Refectory. Of course, that’s not always possible so it would be lovely if people could just take extra care.
'We do like to have fun,' says Naomi, worried her conservation work sounds a little bah humbug. 'Every Christmas, we take photos of the cathedral’s grotesques with little Santa hats and post them on our social media pages.'
The Music Man
Philip Rushforth
In the bustle of a busy season, the pure sound of scarlet-clad choristers singing Once In Royal David's City or Silent Night in an ancient cathedral offers a precious moment of tranquility. But such soul-stirring music doesn’t just happen. It takes months of practice and planning.
'I hear other places sing carols and Christmas pieces and will sometimes want to plan them into our own services and concerts for the following Christmas,' reveals director of music Philip Rushforth, who was once a chorister in the cathedral.
'These days, my role requires me to train the cathedral choir in all aspects of their music making over the festive period, from rehearsing the familiar carols to the newer and more complicated ones.'
It is a joyous process for Philip: 'I do love Christmas,' he says. 'I adore the atmosphere on Christmas Eve at the Nine Lessons and Carols service. There is a deep connection with everyone present with what is read and sung at that very beautiful service.'
CHESTER CATHEDRAL’S CHRISTMAS HIGHLIGHTS
Santa, Father Christmas or Saint Nicholas – no matter the moniker, there’s no denying he’s a pretty big deal for children come December. That’s why meeting the main man for Sunday brunch in the cathedral refectory, a beautiful thirteenth-century monks' dining hall, is so exciting from November 27 to December 24.
On November 24, the Christmas Tree Festival is launched with 99 trees adorned with thousands of twinkling lights – a spectacle not to be missed.
Children are invited to hear the enchanting tale of Awesome Anselm from December 19 to 22. The festive tale imaginatively brings to life a medieval carving of a mouse that can be found in the cathedral quire. The story was written by Jane Brooke, the cathedral’s canon missioner and vice dean, illustrated by Patricia Faraday, their volunteer manager, and delivered by Emma the Elf.
Get into the festive spirit at the Christmas Carol Concert on December 10 and 17 with a selection of traditional and popular words and music for the festive season.
There will also be lessons and carols sung by the Chester Cathedral Choir from December 18 to 24.
Tickets: chestercathedral.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows
