Well-loved and full of wonder
You might think that I would be very disappointed to display the photo below. After all, one of our lovely Christmas Doors is all broken. However, like a bashed-up teddy bear – the wear here is a sign of love and over-use, rather than neglect.
The team
Overall, the Christmas Doors of Teddington was a great collaborative venture. In addition to Le Toy Van, who provided the doors, Roya G who provided the design work, those who printed the leaflets and stickers, and the team of volunteers at Teddington Baptist Church, there were:
- 1 toy shop
- 2 grocers
- 1 potter
- 1 camera shop
- 1 spa
- 1 jeweller
- 3 cafes
- 2 Estate Agents
- 2 clothing shops
- 1 cycle shop
- 1 fabric shop
- 2 galleries
- 1 shoe shop
- 1 hotel 1 charity shop
- 2 interiors’ shops
Publicity
The Christmas Doors project received lots of publicity, including:
- Richmond and Twickenham Times
- TW11 magzine
- Christianity magazine
- Teddington Town
- Local and regional parent/child blogs
- Teddington Business Community website
- Vidatherapy website
- Teddington Baptist Church website
- Christian New Media conference
Participation
Over 80 children completed the trail, but many more covered parts of it. There are children still pointing out to their parents the shops they visited, and adults who have resolved to shop locally in the ‘hidden gems’ to which the trail introduced them. 10-year old Melissa said “I feel great when I have found the door” and several children in Happy Potter started referring to the door as a ‘mouse house’ and speculating about its occupant. Numerous shops have asked to participate again this year, and others are hoping to be asked! Not only this, but many local homes now have a treasured addition to the decorations on their Christmas tree.
As I said when we started this project, a door represents an irresistible invitation to be opened. I have a feeling that people will be opening little Christmas doors in Teddington for many years to come.
