Tenbury Wells mistletoe auction starts with a kiss
[gallery] It's that time of year again – and that means a rush in order to get the holly and the mistletoe into the shops.
And it also propels the small town of Tenbury Wells into the national limelight in its role as the "mistletoe capital of the UK".
Scores of people turned up to the first of three weekly auctions being held in the run-up to the big day.
They inspected bunches of mistletoe and holly, together with Christmas trees, all of which will be heading off to shops and florists, ready for people to decorate homes across the UK.
It is an annual reminder that Christmas is upon us, but it is also big business with thousands of pounds changing hands and buyers flocking from as far away as Scotland.
Auctioneer Nick Champion, who has been overseeing the auctions for 30 years, said: "We've had 750 lots of mistletoe and holly. There's been a very good trade."
The auctions run alongside a month of events in the town, centred on the annual mistletoe festival this Saturday.
The day promises a parade led by the Mistletoe Queen plus a full programme of arts events and entertainment, culminating with an appearance by poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy at the Regal Cinema Auditorium.
