Liberation spirit is not flagging
IT IS safe to say there has never been a Liberation week like this one.
Hopefully, there will never be one like it again.
The 75th anniversary of the end of Occupation was going to be special in its own right. A massive celebration of one of the defining periods in this island’s history.
Weather permitting, thousands of islanders would have packed the seafront, enjoying the close company of fellow islanders and hundreds of visitors.
Sadly, another defining historical period got in the way.
Covid-19 has put paid to much of the pageantry and left just a few core events, to be broadcast rather than attended live.
In these strange times, the thought of scores of people pressed together, cheek by jowl, in the streets of St Peter Port watching the cavalcade, music or fireworks seems an alien concept.
But islanders, being stubborn types, have decided that if they cannot go to the party, the party is going to come to them.
The explosion of bunting, flags and assorted memorabilia displayed around hundreds of homes at present is awe-inspiring and heart-warming.
Perhaps much of it would have been put up just because it is the 75th. However, the sheer scale, enthusiasm and inventiveness of many of the displays makes that seem unlikely.
Home after home is not just sporting a patriotic flag or two, but is festooned in colour.
The only pity is that not everybody is out on the roads to see each house in all its glory. It is a daytime version of the Christmas lights.
Clearly, many islanders have more time on their hands at home than usual and feel it is better to hang bunting than watch another box set.
But the spirit of #GuernseyTogether can be seen in the exuberance of many of the displays. It is a way of uniting neighbours and bringing a smile to the faces of friends, family and passers-by.
It is also a dogged show of defiance and refusal to be cowed by adversity.
It is a fine way to mark 75 years since the end of tyranny.