Ripon woman raises festive spirits with Christmas pebbles
Lauren Howell has been hiding her hand-painted Christmas pebbles across the city
Last updated 28th Nov 2020
A Ripon woman has quite literally been spreading Christmas cheer this year, by hiding festive pebbles across the city.
Lauren Howell has hand-painted dozens stones in Christmas characters and scattered them across the streets of Ripon for people to find while out getting their daily exercise.
Lauren's not been able to work because of the lockdown, so decided to keep herself busy by painting stones which she took from her back garden.
She said: "I thought I might do some Christmas themed pebbles as we go into December. I did a snowman, Santa and a penguin for people to go out and hunt for.
"I do enjoy painting them and it helps to pass the time while I'm off work. But it's just so exciting knowing people have found them, taken pictures, posted them on Facebook and I just love it.
"People are finding them and are hiding them again for others to see on their walks or they're keeping them and taking them home. I just think it's lovely. I'm definitely going to carry on making them because it's making people happy and it's making these tough times a little bit easier."
They've been that popular, she's even getting requests from people to leave personalised stones in certain locations for people to collect.
Lauren, said: "The reaction has been fantastic. So many people have commented asking me to leave a penguin near where they walk or a snowman outside their house and it's just so lovely knowing it's cheering people up.
"The whole idea came from the first lockdown actually. I painted ladybirds and butterflies on pebbles and started hiding them and people started posting them on Facebook within a few hours. I just knew I had to do it again as we go into December.
"I know I'm not going to stop there. I've already got ideas for what I'm going to do after Christmas.
"I've done some butterfly designs before so I've been thinking I could do those in the spring because they're nice and bright and colourful."
Have you spotted any designs while walking in Ripon?