Written by the team behind Puzzlify. Puzzlify is our product, so weigh what follows with that in mind. We've tried to make this useful even if you never use it. We're not affiliated with any church, diocese, parochial church council, walking club, charity or community organisation.
By Boxing Day most households have had quite enough of the sofa. So in plenty of parishes, someone puts a line in the Christmas notices: "Boxing Day walk, meet at the lychgate at ten, about four miles, all welcome, dogs too." On the morning, a surprising crowd turns up in new hats and borrowed wellies: grandparents, teenagers dragged along, a family new to the village, someone who spent Christmas Day on their own. The organisers have walked the route the week before, checked the stiles and the mud, and know exactly where the halfway stop is. This short guide is about thanking them.
Here are a few ideas, with an honest look at whether a photo puzzle is a good fit.
What the walk organisers actually do
It's different everywhere, but the job usually includes:
- choosing a route that works for small legs, older knees and the odd pushchair
- walking it in advance to check for flooded paths, broken stiles and grumpy bulls
- putting a notice in the parish newsletter and the Christmas service sheet
- counting everyone at the lychgate and again at the end
- carrying a flask, a first aid kit, spare gloves and a phone with a full battery
- walking at the back so nobody gets left behind on the hill
- having a shorter cut-back route for anyone who has had enough
Why it's worth saying
A Boxing Day walk looks effortless, which is exactly why nobody thanks the people who make it happen. For a newcomer, it can be the first time they really meet the village. For someone who was alone the day before, it might be the first proper conversation in a week. A note that mentions something specific, such as the view from the top of the hill or being waited for at the stile, tells the organisers the cold morning was worth it.
When to say it
A quick word at the end of the walk is nice, but people are cold and heading home. A fuller thank-you in early January, when the decorations are coming down, gives it a little more weight.
What makes a good photo
- the group gathering at the lychgate, breath steaming in the cold
- a line of walkers along a hedge, the church tower small in the distance
- muddy boots lined up on the church porch afterwards
- the flask and paper cups balanced on a gatepost at the halfway point
- low winter sun over a frosty field
- a dog sitting patiently at the stile
Ask before photographing people, especially children, and keep faces out unless everyone is happy. A wide view of the landscape is often the best picture anyway.
Choosing a piece count
| Pieces | Good for |
|---|---|
| 24 | a quick puzzle on a phone |
| 48 | a few minutes with a hot drink |
| 80 | someone who enjoys a gentle challenge |
| 130 | a wide landscape with sky, hedges and fields |
| 252 | a long January evening, best on a tablet |
Winter landscapes with large areas of grey sky are harder than they look; 48 or 80 pieces usually feels right.
Note examples
- "Thank you for waiting for me at every stile."
- "It was the first time I really met anyone in the village. Thank you."
- "The soup at the halfway gate was the best thing I ate all Christmas."
- "My kids complained the whole way and talked about it all week."
- "Thank you for walking it in the rain the week before so we didn't have to."
What it costs, plainly
The preview is free, so you can see how it looks before deciding anything. Publishing the link costs one credit (€3.99), or less per puzzle with a bundle. It's a digital puzzle, not a printed or cardboard one, so there's nothing to post. The person receiving it doesn't need an account or an app; they open the link and your note appears when the last piece goes in. If a card is enough, it is.
Ideas that are not a puzzle
- a card signed by everyone who came, handed over at the lychgate
- a mention in the parish newsletter or the January notices
- offering to walk at the back next year, or to carry the flask
- a printed copy of the route with a few photos, for the church noticeboard
- a pair of good walking socks or a new flask
- asking the organisers if they'd like help planning a spring walk
Where Puzzlify fits
Puzzlify turns a personal photo into a private digital jigsaw you send as a link. It is not a printed puzzle and not a public puzzle board; only the people you send it to can open it. It is one option among many. It is not puzzlify.io, Puzzlit, Puzzly or Puzzify, which are different things.
If you'd like to try it, choose the lychgate gathering, the view from the hill or the boots on the porch, pick a piece count and write your note. You can make one here.
Written by the small team behind Puzzlify (info@puzzlify.app). Not legal, religious, safeguarding, outdoor safety, first aid, rights of way, photography permission or gift policy advice.