Christmas angels descend on Stalham

Christmas angels descend on Stalham

A host of knitted angels has appeared in Stalham and villages in Northeast Norfolk, created by a small group of anonymous knitters, and anyone finding one is invited to give it a home

The first batch of angels went out on 14 December, and the rest will be going out this week, all in the Stalham, Eccles-on-Sea, Sutton, or Worsted area. There will be around 570 this year, following a successful campaign last year, when over 500 mysteriously appeared. Social media posts with #xmasangel & #xmasangels had pictures and comments from people whose days were brightened by finding them 

Rather than coming from the Realms of Glory as we hear in the Christmas carols, the cute little knitted angels have been made by anonymous local knitters. Each angel is labelled and then left in a public place to be discovered by passers-by. They are a reminder of the good news at the heart of the Christmas story that every human being is seen, known and loved by God. This is the same good news that was brought at the first Christmas by angels - the real, slightly scary, noisy, shiny sort
 
If you have been sharp-eyed enough to spot one, you'll have found a label telling you, it's yours to take home to keep, or to pass on to someone else. If you have found one this year, post a picture of it on social media using #xmasangels so others can see it too
 
One of the knitters explains, “It's a message that can be especially important at this time of year because, for some, Christmas is a lonely time as they no longer have family around them, whilst others are under enormous stress, because it's a ridiculously expensive and busy time, and they're run ragged trying to meet the expectations of family, friends and their boss. Every knitter hopes that each person who discovers one of the angels that they have lovingly made will be cheered and encouraged”
 
Stalham is not the only place seeing angels, and leaving them to be found is not a new idea. Angels (knitted, crocheted and sewn) have been left all over the UK during Advent for over 10 years. Around 2017, a church survey found that over 20,500 had been distributed. Since then, tens of thousands more have brought the message of joy and hope to those who found them, and the prayer is that those who find them will realise they seen, known and loved by God

The above photos are courtesy of the anonymous knitters

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