Now I know we have not yet passed Remembrance, and I know saying the C*****mas word before the far end of the month causes some people to come out in hives, foam at the mouth or become inexplicably violent, but... In my world, the preparations have to start early, and yesterday I had a very exciting and sparky planning meeting to discuss aspects of our community outreach for the season, culminating in our children's watchnight on Christmas Eve.

A Messy Nativity sheep trail leading up to a Get in the Picture afternoon will take place - we hope - in the first fortnight of December.  As I type, my very own Joshua is spying out the land, to identify shops, cafes and leisure venues who might be persuaded to adopt a sheep.  And my very own Dorcas in knitting our first sheep, ready for me to take out when I go to invite said retailers etc to 'sign up' for it.  In a week from now I will boldly go where no Scottish Baptist minister has gone before... taking sheep to shops and hoping they catch out vision and sign up!

My hope is that people will FLOCK to the shops, boosting footfall and sales, especially in small independent outlets.  We hope the BYRES will enjoy the trail.  We certainly intend to EWES the opportunity to invite people to share in a fun retelling of the Christmas Story.  My accomplices are far better at sheepy-puns than I am but I am hoping to gather a few I can drop into conversations, posters and press releases... so any BAA-d puns gratefully received... if the comment thingy is behaving, of course.

EDIT:

Comments acting up, so this from Angela by email:

Do not RAM your puns down the throats of local tradespersons, they may try and FLEECE you or PULL THE WOOL over your eyes - or LAMBast you for awful wordplay. [If they are CROOKS that is]  Don't know WETHER to keep going. I shall shut TUP now

And from Antonia, also by email:

If your own Joshua is spying out the land for places to adopt a sheep, does that make him a SHEPHERD SPY? (Back to the mince again!)