The Christmas decorations went up on the "tea stall" at the Drumcree protest on Saturday night. The group of women who each evening faithfully provide the Orangemen with their tea, soup and hamburgers, had decided that it was time to show that at least in decorative terms the "season of goodwill" had arrived at the Co Armagh church.
However, just a short distance away, it was evident that the feelings of "peace on earth" and "goodwill towards men" were conspicuous by their absence, as Orangemen and police officers in riot gear faced each other on what was the 124th day of the Drumcree protest.
Tension was running extremely high throughout Portadown in the run-up to Christmas. Recent events at Drumcree have heightened tension and increased fears on the nationalist Garvaghy Road that the Orangemen are intent on forcing their way down the Garvaghy Road before the end of 1998.
Two major rallies in support of the Drumcree protest have been organised for Portadown later this month. The Orange Order on December 19th and the Apprentice Boys of Derry on December 31st both will cause major problems for the security forces in Portadown. Meanwhile, soldiers using sniffer dogs have uncovered a small cache of maritime flares in a field close to Drumcree. It is believed they may have been hidden by loyalists for use in future protests at the church.
The local Sinn Fein Assembly member, Ms Dara O'Hagan, speaking about the protest, said: "There is grave concern in nationalist areas that these demonstrations are being allowed to escalate in the run-up to Christmas and that in fact they have been allowed to continue for so long."
There was also mounting tension in loyalist areas of Portadown after it was reported that two local republicans had been seen "cruising" the Brownstown and Rectory Park areas on Friday evening. Residents of the estates fear dissident republican elements are planning an attack on a prominent loyalist target. Locals claim that the AK47 assault rifle recovered from a car in nearby Lurgan last week was in transit to Portadown to be used in such an attack.
Meanwhile, a leading loyalist from Portadown is expected to appear in court today on firearms charges. It follows an incident in West Street early on Saturday morning in which a number of shots were fired.
Police arrested a man and a woman at the scene and confirmed that a handgun believed to have been used in the incident had been recovered.
One of those arrested is believed to have been a close associate of the murdered LVF leader Billy Wright.