Hardy or foolhardy? Herm swimmers were out in force on Christmas morning. (0696325)

THE Christmas season has always been a sociable one on Herm, with several reasons for residents to get together once guests and summer staff have left.

Last year’s was the first without the traditions and events that the Wood family had instilled on the island over the past 60 years, so to ensure that these occasions are still organised a Residents’ Social Committee has been set up.

The committee will have an informal meeting once a month to arrange events and organise get-togethers, such as a monthly themed night at the Mermaid.

There is no particular person in charge and decisions will be made by the consensus of whoever turns up for each meeting.

The idea is that this way everyone gets their say and those who wouldn’t generally come forward with ideas will have a platform through which to put their views across.

Last year, for the first time, a total of eight special Christmas shopping days were held in the island – and for once none had to be cancelled because of bad weather.

Hundreds of Guernsey residents braved the winds to make the boat journey over for lunch at the pub and present-buying at the gift shops, making it one of the busiest Decembers ever.

Herm children decorated the harbour shop window with a fireplace scene complete with hand-made stockings, and a huge inflatable Santa greeted shoppers at the post office door.

More than 150 people booked to stay in the island for New Year’s Eve, when a Wild West-themed party was held at the Mermaid.

While for many of us Christmas morning is a time of sitting around in our pyjamas eating chocolate for breakfast, the annual polar bear swim has been a Herm tradition for more than 50 years.

The day before had been relatively warm and still – some of our guests with relatives visiting from Australia went as far as having a barbecue in the courtyard on Christmas Eve night – but the morning of the swim was predictably cold and drizzly.

In previous years the Heyworth/Wood family have made up a large number of the swimmers, and for a while this year’s dip looked as though it would have few participants. But, as always, our hardy self-catering guests threw themselves into island life (and into the freezing cold sea) with full force, resulting in quite a large group taking part.

Those brave enough (brave? crazy? It’s a matter of opinion) to face the chilly waters gathered at Rosaire Steps around 11am.

Swimmers numbered around 20 in all, including several children.

Those of us who declined to swim still turned up to support and everyone was grateful for the warm mulled wine and brazier that followed.