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Over to you mattrom

Thanks, Jafo

Beast runs right around a German river (8)

I have to go out for a while. I think you'll know if your answer is correct, so please go ahead and re-post.
(I have difficulty if I have to count the traffic lights to post on the mobile)
Would it be better if the restriction of not answering if you have just answered a previous clue, became that you could answer after, say, 15 minutes?

Reindeer

Over to you, Jono

Merchants and priests go to town, often in stockings! (9,7)

It's like deja vu jono, darts have finished but this time you are holding the torch, I recall finding an orange and apple at the bottom of those things you are alluding to, which always seemed to taste better after a week or so in one of my sports socks.

Haha Jafo, yes I remember the orange in the stocking, I’ve never read a convincing explanation for that. Is it still a thing I wonder?

Possibly when the tradition was established it would have been an exotic and very welcome, thing to have been given - vitamin C is important, after all!

I believe the oranges are symbolic of the gold St Nicholas is once said to have chucked down the chimneys of the houses where girls were too poor to have dowries.
It is also true that oranges were once (and maybe still are in places) regarded as a great treat ( remember the Dad's Army episode?) I remember reading a story where the orange in her stocking was the heroine's vitamin C for the year!