Page 99 of The Merry Christmas Project

Astrid’s eyes were hidden behind dark glasses, but she nodded. ‘I underestimated how potent the Christmas punch would be. Again.’

‘And I’m never touching flaming Sambucca again in my life,’ added Fred.

‘Good party then ?’ I giggled, relieved that they were only hungover.

‘The best,’ Fred chuckled, ‘but I’m glad I’ve got a year to recover until the next one.’

‘So.’ I picked up my clipboard. ‘Let’s run through the itinerary, shall we ? People will be arriving from two-thirty to collect their tree for their community groups. I’ve drawn a rough plan of where all the trees can be placed in a circle around the main tree and there’s a copy for everyone.’ I passed them around. ‘Nell and Audrey, please can you be in charge of the list of groups and allocation of spaces. The trees are only five feet tall so they shouldn’t be too cumbersome, but Tom and Nigel, I’m hoping you can lend a bit of muscle if anyone can’t carry their tree.’

‘I’ve never been referred to as a bit of muscle,’ said Tom, flexing his biceps.

‘I have,’ said Nigel, stroking his beard mysteriously. ‘In my younger days.’

‘Are you sure they didn’t mean gristle ?’ Sadie marched in carrying two large flasks, her glasses steaming up as she stepped out of the cold. ‘Coffee with and coffee without to keep you going,’ she said, holding up first one flask, and then the other.

‘Without sugar ?’ Tom asked.

‘Without whisky.’ Sadie took off her glasses and wiped them on her Santa jumper. ‘It’ll put hairs on your chest in this cold weather.’

Astrid looked a bit green and Fred made an odd gulping noise. Otto wisely jumped down off Astrid’s lap and hid under her chair.

‘I’ve got to dash back to the pub,’ said Sadie, ‘we’ve got a full house. What time do you want me back with the mulled wine ?’

‘The school choir are on at five o’clock,’ I said. ‘So, shall we say four-thirty ? Then everyone can have a drink before we start.’

‘Roger that. See you later.’ She put her glasses back on and dashed back outside.

‘Let’s aim to get everyone finished with their tree-dressing and lights switched on by four o’clock. The weather forecast says that the snow should have stopped by then,’ I said. ‘Which means we’ll have the perfect snowy scene by five o’clock, ready for our singers to process around the marketplace singing their first song before climbing up onto the stage. Someone can say a few words …’

‘That would be you,’ Nell piped up.

‘OK,’ I groaned. ‘And then the choir can lead everyone in a singalong.’

‘Mrs Flowers will take over from there,’ said Tom. ‘Sally and I have got song sheets to pass around for anyone unsure of the words of “Away In a Manger” and “Silent Night”.’

‘It’ll be so moving,’ said Sally, who looked as if she was already welling up.

Just then the door banged open again and a man in a full-length waterproof coat and wellies scurried in.

‘Hi folks !’ He stepped forward, hand outstretched and seeing my clipboard, jabbed it in my direction. ‘I’m Will, head of external comms for the council.’

‘What’s that when it’s at home ?’ said Nigel, removing what looked like a leaf from his beard.

‘Communications,’ Will explained. ‘Anyway, fab news. The Derbyshire Bugle want to cover your Christmas Project. They’re sending someone along with a camera.’

Nell laughed. ‘I’m so glad my mother doesn’t know the paparazzi are coming. She’d be turning up in her tiara.’

Nell’s parents had arrived yesterday afternoon, their Range Rover stuffed to the hilt with Christmas offerings. Nell had called me with an update last night.

‘She’s even bought her own bloody tree,’ she had whispered down the phone from the sanctuary of her bedroom. ‘And she wanted me to take ours down and replace it with hers. But I refused. So our cheapo one stayed put and Olek stuck hers in the front garden.’

I told her I was proud of her for being herself, and even more so for drawing up a cooking rota so that both her mother and mother-in-law could have a turn at being Masterchef over the Christmas period, but with strict boundaries in place so that when it wasn’t their turn, they weren’t allowed to interfere.

‘This is exactly the sort of feel-good story we need right now.’ Will clapped his hands together. ‘So if someone could look after the photographer and make sure they capture all the key moments, that would be super. Well done everyone, don’t let me stop you. If you don’t mind me saying, it isn’t looking very much like a winter wonderland at the moment.’

‘Stay and help if you like,’ I offered hopefully. ‘The more the merrier.’

‘I’d love to.’ Will made a moue with his lips. ‘But sadly, I’ve got to get to a champagne reception at County Hall, you know what it’s like.’