Well what a busy 'silly season' that was! All the way through November to Christmas and then rolling though January, we were sending our festive acts all over the place. Here are a few of the fun and games we got ourselves into...
In November we were very pleased to send Fanshaw's Fantastical Emporium of the Impossible up to Gloucester Quays for the Victorian Christmas Market. On walkabout causing the usual havoc among the crowds and putting on three shows a day to the gathered masses, Archie and Bert were thrilled to have been involved in this event that tallied some 300,000 visitors over its course. Yes, THREE HUNDREED THOUSAND!
Closer to home the lovable rogues took their tall hats to the ever more popular switching on of Christmas lights in the delightful Barry High Street shopping quarter.
As December arrived, we sent The Postal Express up to Cheltenham for a couple of days to check all the children's gift requirements in the Regent Shopping Centre, and back down in Cardiff we were delighted to have been exclusively hired to entertain at the Principality Stadium for all the Welsh Rugby Union VIPs and their families. Set up in the International Players Lounge, Postmasters Punch and Stamp were full steam ahead with Santa's Official Gift Check Service, and only closing briefly every half hour for a dash to the other end of the stadium to perform short shows for the touring guests (who were on a sleigh bell hunt with their children and about to visit Santa in his amazing grotto). Specially invented and built for this event, the Cheery 2000 Enthusiometer worked extremely well!
So Christmas came and went, and January chimed in. Usually a quiet month, Jasper and Frank were still out and about; their season culminating in something we are delighted to help with every year; the LATCH children's charity party (a kind of belated 'festive party' for the little ones and their families). This year's theme was "Roald Dahl", so a grown up Charlie Bucket was to be found causing all sorts of trouble along with a doddery Grandpa Joe, and not forgetting Mr Wonka himself (our good friend Doctor Bob of Doctor Bob Balloons Unlimited who brings us on board for the parties) who kept everythig under control. Vaguely...
With lots on the cards for the coming year then, 2017 here we come!