ROGER CONANT CLUB CAME UP WITH A CRACKER OF AN IDEA, OR TWO (WINTER 2025)

Our Christmas Crackers Heritage’ was the theme suggested by East Budleigh’s History Society for a display in the village’s Salem Chapel over the week end of 29 November. 

 The Roger Conant Club was one of the many groups exhibiting. Seen here is its fine Christmas tree with one of the Club members looking pleased after much hard work. 

Topped by a dove of peace, the tree was decorated with hand-painted baubles showing American animals and birds. 

But ‘crackers’ was the theme of the event.  

So members of the Roger Conant Club got cracking and produced this mammoth in two halves — one for Salem and one for East Budleigh. It was complete with jokes, crowns and sweets spilling out for visitors ‘in the spirit of giving and sharing’.


A suitably American spread on your cracker is Philadelphia cheese, invented in the USA in 1872 but in New York State, a long way from Philadelphia. It was branded in 1880 as ‘Philadelphia Cream Cheese’, the Philadelphia area having a reputation for high quality dairy farms. 


Incidentally, the name Philadelphia comes from the Ancient Greek words phílos (φίλος), meaning ‘loving’, and adelphós (ἀδελφός), meaning ‘brother’. The city’s founder, Quaker William Penn, chose Philadelphia as a name to reflect his vision of a city where people of all faiths could live in religious freedom and harmony, a testament to Quaker principles of tolerance and peace. 

 A ‘Philly cracker’! Roger Conant the Peacemaker’s favourite snack? 


 

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