Dear ‘Name and Address Supplied’ (letters, December 16). From reading your letter in last week’s Courier, I am wondering when it was you visited the festive cabins in Haddington?

You are clearly a well-read and educated member of our community; however, as a trader in one of the cabins that has been there every day they were open trading, my first thought was a concern for your eyesight.

Perhaps, like another disgruntled member of the public (the only person that ever made their feelings clear regarding the generators and state of the cabins to the poor artist who produces the lovely hand-carved whisky barrel tops), you visited just after closing time on a Sunday? It must be the only explanation as there were beautifully hand-crafted Christmas tree decorations, magical fairy doors, organic, ecologically sound and wonderfully scented soaps and beauty products, luminaries, beer from a local brewer with an imaginative take on the naming of his product, handcrafted sterling silver jewellery, beautiful luxury hampers, local calendars... the list could go on.

You are right, however, there were no “stuffed reindeer dolls”, as all our traders were makers and didn’t import or buy in any items found in your bigger stereotypical Christmas markets and none of us were needleworkers; however, there are a few masters of the sewing machine to be found at the local East Linton Mart market, so you may find a unique and hand-made “stuffed reindeer doll” there.

We also had mulled wine, hot chocolate, churros and hand-made luxury truffles but again, if visiting just after closing, the wonderful aromas that drifted across our little market would have melted away along with the Christmas music, as I would have turned off the speakers at closing time, as well as the lights that were strewn through the holly and pine garlands around the top of the cabins – although the garlands were left up so they should have been clearly visible to you.

I do agree that a small children’s ride would have been an asset but, as I am sure you are aware, there is a pandemic on at the moment and, due to health and safety and the cleaning that would have been required constantly to fit in with current regulations, there are simply not enough volunteers available to fill the task.

Perhaps instead of knocking down a small band of people who worked above and beyond to make the cabins happen this year, you could pick up the volunteering baton and, even if it is doing something as simple as cleaning down a child’s seat on a fairground ride, every little helps.

I myself have some small experience of organising events and will willingly offer my services next year in helping make this event happen again and I hope I am taken up on the offer.

It is such a shame you missed out on the festive spirit of the cabins this year. Oh how I wish you were there when we were singing Christmas carols with a local choir in a snow blizzard; it was, despite the cold, quite magical.

I wish you a very happy Christmas and to finish I would like to thank all the volunteers who made the cabins happen this year. I know I speak for all the traders who had a cabin that you were all very much appreciated and your community spirit is more than commendable.

Liz McFern

Mary-Beth Originals

Clerkington Road

Haddington