SIR,

I am on the whole, not one to complain but the last few years I have quietly moaned to my husband regarding our town Christmas trees.

I am afraid this year, I have to get it off my chest.

Now, I do not want to offend or upset the poor soul who puts the lights on the trees and I fully appreciate the logistical difficulties in placing the lights around the tree artistically, but in my opinion, the way they get put on is not very pretty.

Yesterday I admired the Christmas trees at Whitchurch and Devauden whom both have beautiful big trees dressed with white lights lying the right way, so I know it can be done.

Maybe I could suggest that our town has slightly smaller trees which would be easier to manage? Less is more.

I think trees with no lights on at all would look better than what we get landed with at Christmas and at least in the dark you could still see their beautiful shape and not just some trussed up red white and blue gaudy gherkin.

For me the look of a Christmas tree is a real treat when out Christmas shopping and I certainly was staring at them tonight but it wasn't in admiration.

Don't you think they are just a teeny weeny bit of an embarrassment to our town?

Jane Ridley-Griffiths

(Monmouth)