Anonymous Knitters Decorate Seaside with Nativity Scene

An anonymous group of knitters has decorated a seafront area with various knitted figures representing the nativity scene. The collective known as The Knitoholics created these bollard covers for Weymouth harbourside, illustrating central figures from the nativity narrative, such as Mary, Joseph, the donkey, the shepherd, and the three wise men. Speaking to the BBC, a member of The Knitoholics stated her intention was to “remind people what Christmas was supposed to be about.” She described the public’s response as “fabulous.” The group comprises four grandmothers, all in their 60s, along with “one very talented granddaughter” who contributes to the designs and sketches. For approximately four years, they have been decorating the seafront for all significant holidays. “It started during lockdown when everybody was really fed up,” an anonymous Knitoholic informed the BBC. She added, “It just made people smile and we got an awful lot of support from our locals.” Given that each character requires approximately six weeks to create, The Knitoholics commenced crafting the nativity figures in July, a period when their summer ice cream display remained on the seafront. Certain characters were repurposed from earlier creations. “Wonky the donkey had a hard life,” a Knitoholic commented, explaining, “He was a reindeer last year.” The Knitoholic also mentioned that maintaining anonymity contributed to their enjoyment. She stated, “We spend most of the year sneaking about trying not to look as though we are doing anything,” noting the difficulty of this given the necessity to measure bollards for sizing. She further remarked, “People will try to sneak up on us.” She expressed that observing the community’s reaction was among the most rewarding aspects. “You overhear people talking about them and it’s so lovely to smile and think of everyone else smiling,” she shared, concluding, “It’s made people happy.” Readers can find BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.