The Calm Christmas Podcast with Beth Kempton

Friends, I hope you had a lovely, peaceful holiday, or indeed, whatever kind of Christmas you had hoped for, and if you didn’t, well it’s done now, and you enjoy a quiet few days ahead and then a shiny new year.I always feel mixed emotions at this particular time of year, sad that Christmas is over, relieved that all the work of Christmas is done, and hopeful that everyone enjoyed as best they could, given the circumstances, and also secretly delighted about this sacred pause that I call ‘The Hush’ and love so very much.For many years now, I have sensed something very special about these precious days between Christmas and New Year. It’s as if some kind of portal opens up. January will be here before we know it, but until then, let’s stretch these days as wide open as we can and meander for a while, giving our minds and hearts a chance to assimilate and process all that’s happened over the past 12 months and plant some seeds for the year ahead.This moment is that fleeting pause when time bends and magic hovers between the book ends of the season. We must and we should are abandoned in favour of ‘Shall we...?’ and ‘We could...’ Spontaneity and softness become the order of the day. This is a precious time to breathe deeply, savour moments with loved ones or alone. Feel the world slowing for just a while. It’s a time for reflection and releasing, meandering and dreaming, and today’s episode is all about that. It includes:* The special magic of this time I call ‘the Hush’* An amazing story of manifestation, which began on this podcast* An invitation to speak your dreams aloud* A beautiful wintery visualisation* A potent question to guide you beneath the surface of things* Lots of love for deer* How to make a vision board* A delicious soup recipe from Mark Diacono * Some goodies for you* A gentle could-do list for the week aheadWith inspiration from Ryokan Taigu, Calexico, Blackdown Shepherd Huts, Fog Chaser, Laura Pashby, Shaun Davey, the Natural History Museum, BBC Wildlife Magazine, Mark Diacono and Kate Trenchard. You can listen on iTunes/Spotify or here on Substack.Wishing you peace and joy for these in-between days,Beth XxLovely things for you* The Winter Writing Sanctuary FREE seven-day gentle writing class, starts Monday December 29 (join here)* Moon + Shadow one-day virtual writing retreat on January 11 (join from anywhere, FREE to all paid subscribers/members of my SoulCircle private writing community. If you are not a member yet you can join here).Books mentioned* Chasing Fog by Laura Pashby Other links* Hear the Bells by Calexico* Blackdown Shepherd Huts* A Peek Inside the (Tiny) Hut that Words Built (essay by me)* The Deer’s Cry by Shaun Davey* A Simple Carol by Matt Evans Fog Chaser (60 minute version)* Reindeer at the Natural History Museum* BBC Wildlife Magazine on the difference between deer and reindeerIngredients for Mark Diacono’s Cauliflower and Sage Soup* Two teaspoons of coriander seeds* Two teaspoons of cumin seeds* One tablespoon of butter* One tablespoon of olive oil, and more for the sage* Two onions finely chopped* Two garlic cloves finely chopped* One medium to large cauliflower chopped into three centimetre or one inch cubes* 1.2 litres or two pints of hot water* 12 sage leaves,* Curry powder to serve* Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit calmchristmas.substack.com

There is a moment of silence that occurs every year somewhere between the dawn of Christmas Eve and the setting of the sun on Christmas Day itself. A moment we all have experienced at least once in our lives, maybe more than once. It can silence a great city like London or New York, and it can bring stillness to our hearts, whoever and wherever we may be. That moment of silence is unlike any other. It offers the promise of new beginnings, of the clean slate of New Year, and it incorporates the breathless expectancy of Christmas Night itself, when a familiar figure enters our lives and changes them briefly. - The Winter Solstice by John MatthewsWelcome to Christmas Eve Eve and to Season Five, Episode Seven, Driving Home for Christmas. To me that feeling of expectation on the cusp of Christmas is about the feeling of time folding in on itself as all past Christmases and hopes for future Christmases collapse into a single moment on the cusp of Christmas itself and anything - even magical things - seem possible. This cosy episode includes:* Christmas Eve traditions from listeners around the world* A special memory of the Budapest Christmas Market* Thoughts about gathering* Taking a moment for gratitude* Giving ourselves grace* A delicious mocktail recipe* The simplest Christmas craft project* A special Christmas story* Our final get ahead tips* A Christmas message for youWith inspiration from John Matthews, Clement Clarke Moo1515115re, Chris Rea, Fiok, the team at Pentire in Cornwall, Sara Starling and Kings College Cambridge.You can listen on iTunes/Spotify or here on Substack. I would like to dedicate this episode to Chris Rea, whose classic Driving Home for Christmas inspired the title, and who sadly died yesterday, December 22, aged 74. I’ll be back on December 27th with Episode 8, The Deer’s Cry: Welcoming the Hush. Until then, may you have whatever kind of Christmas you want and need this year.Beth XxLovely things for you* Winter Writing Sanctuary (join for FREE here, runs Dec 29-Jan 4 online)* Giveaway with a prize worth over £700 on my Instagram @bethkemptonHere are some Calm Christmas Podcast listener recommendations you might enjoy:* Cosy reads for the dark season* The only Christmas movie list you’ll ever need* The Ultimate Gift Guide for Writers (including some last-minute ideas!)Books mentioned* The Winter Solstice by John Matthews* The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore* Christmas, The Bubbling Toad and the Gift by Sara Starling Other links* Driving Home for Christmas by Chris Rea* Fiok stationery shop, Budapest* How to make a Christmas tree from music manuscript paper* Snowflake templates on marthastewart.com* Pentire botanics* Carols from King’s / A Festival of Nine Lessons and CarolsIngredients for mocktailsPentire Seaward Eastern Fizz* 50ml / 2 oz Pentire Seaward* 25ml / 1 oz fresh lime juice* 20ml 0.75 oz agave syrup* 3 cucumber slices, muddled* 3 mint leaves* soda waterA Winter Wonder (easiest Christmas cocktail ever)* Your favourite gin or non-alcholic botanical equivalent* Your favourite tonic water* Ice* Slice of clementine* Sprig of rosemaryImage: Holly Bobbins This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit calmchristmas.substack.com

Winter can be a difficult time for any of us grieving, or experiencing feelings of sadness or loneliness. And yet there is always beauty to be found in amongst it all. This week’s episode, Midwinter Light: Holding joy and sadness in December, is about allowing ourselves all the feelings, and encouraging us to take some quiet time to think about those we love and miss as the world rushes all around us. So many of you have shared how you have been through difficult things this year. For some of you, I know that all you want this year is one more Christmas with a loved one. I want you to know that you are not alone in your experience of things being hard in this season, and I hope that together, we can honour the sadness and also look for the light.This is the week of the Winter Solstice, when the darkness begins to shift into light. We can lean into the darkest dark, or we can welcome the promise of that light. I find that we tend to hold both the dark and the light at this time of year, because memories come flooding back as Christmas moves in, and some of those are beautiful and some of those are painful.We might sense deep gratitude for those who are here and a bone deep ache for those who are not. We might, at the same time, be aware of all of our blessings and all of our longings. The thing is, we don’t need to resist any of it. The Winter Solstice is an ancient ritual event in the human calendar that invites us to simply sit with it, all the sadness and the joy, the darkness and the light. I hope Episode 6 is a balm for your soul.This episode includes:* Thoughtful words to comfort you when things feel hard* Some reflections on the symbolism of the Winter Solstice* Some love for sweet robins* Delicious, nourishing recipes for you and for your furry friends* Get ahead tips and an invitation to seek out shooting starsWith inspiration from Donna Ashworth, Machine Soul Collective, EC Krupp, Carolyn MacVicar Edwards, Charles Baudelaire, Elena Brower, Kim Krans, Charles Bertram Johnson, Fog Chaser, Hannah Langdon, Amber Guinness, Royal Museums Greenwich, Songbird Survival and the RSPCA.You can listen on iTunes/Spotify or here on Substack. I hope you absolutely love it.Wishing you many blessings in this final full week before Christmas.Beth XxLOVELY THINGS FOR YOU* This week’s giveaway @bethkempton on Instagram - You could win copies of The Country Commonplace Book by Miranda Mills, Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton, Hold Nothing by Elena Brower and The Gifts of Winter by Stephanie Fitzgerald plus a place on my gentle writing course Words Heal). Enter here.* Register for my Winter Writing Sanctuary here (it’s FREE!)* Gratitude sale on all my courses extended over Christmas - get support to do what you love at dowhatyouloveforlife.com (30% off courses, 50% off bundles!)BOOKS MENTIONED* Joy Chose You by Donna Ashworth * The Return of the Light by Carolyn MacVicar Edwards* Les Fleurs du Mal by Charles Baudelaire* Hold Nothing by Elena Brower * Christmas with the Princes by Hannah Langdon* Winter in Tuscany by Amber Guinness OTHER LINKS MENTIONED* Midwinter Light by Machine Soul Collective featuring Alexander Tennant* Research by EC Krupp quoted in The Winter Solstice by John Matthews* The Wild Unknown Alchemy Deck by Kim Krans* Snow by Charles Bertram Johnson on poets.org* A Simple Carol by Fog Chaser * National Robin Day* Songbird Survival’s tips for helping robins in winter* Merlin ID app* Winter by Walter de la Mare on poets.org* Ursids Meteor Shower (via Royal Museums Greenwich)* DIY Christmas Treats Recipes for dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs via the RSPCAINGREDIENTS for Baked Fennel with Chilli and Parmesan (from Winter in Tuscany by Amber Guinness)You will need:* 2-3 fennel bulbs* 1 garlic clove, finely crushed or chopped* ½ teaspoon of chilli flakes* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper* Olive oil* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter* A hunk of parmesanINGREDIENTS for DIY Christmas Treats for Dogs (from the RSPCA)You will need:* 1 cup whole wheat flour* Half a cup of creamy peanut butter (but make sure it doesn’t contain xylitol)* Quarter of a cup of mashed banana* Quarter of a cup of vegetable stockBlessing for those we love and miss, by Beth KemptonMay you have whatever kind of Christmas you want and need this year.May your loved one be present in your mind, in your heart,In whatever way you want them to be.May anything unsaid be as if it had been said.May anything that needs forgiving be forgiven.May anything that is complicated fall away.So you are left with the flickering light of an everlasting connection, which reaches back through time, across space, between hearts.May the depth of your loss be evidence for the vastness of your love.May it help you see into the heart of being,And remind you to celebrate wonder,and to stay aware that there is an imprint of your loved one on everything you do, if you invite it.May you honour those who have helped you through the darknessand recognise your own contributionto the world as the healer you are becoming.May you show compassion to yourself,and to others who are suffering,whether or not you know their names.May you continue to be interestedIn both the remarkable and unremarkablewhich make this life,and see beauty in the ordinaryevery single day.May you have whatever kind of Christmas you want and need this year. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit calmchristmas.substack.com

One of the most gorgeous carols in the world reminds us of how bleak midwinter can be, and yet how there is beauty and even comfort in it. This episode is all about taking care of ourselves in the dark season, finding ways to stay warm, inspired, healthy and connected. It includes lots of love for trees, and hedgehogs, and suggestions for wellbeing in winter from listeners and experts alike. This episode includes:* The single easiest step to radical self-care this winter* What to put into a Winter’s Evening Care Package* Ways to keep warm without spending a fortune* The tradition of Christmas trees including research and insights from Canada’s Christmas Tree Lab* The feeling of climbing a tree* How to contribute to the UK’s Ancient Tree Inventory* A fresh way of thinking about sleep* Some love for hedgehogs* A wonderful Citrus Miso recipe from Rachel de Thample* Nature observation advice from Tristan Gooley* A thoughtful writing prompt* Dates for your diary* Get ahead tipsWith inspiration from Christina Rossetti, Enya, Bernd Brunner, The Christmas Tree Lab, Henrik Dahle, The Woodland Trust, Dr Stephanie Fitzgerald, Hedgehog Street, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, Rachel de Thample, @fogchaser and Tristan Gooley.Listen on iTunes | Spotify | SubstackMay this be a treat for you as the darkness moves in,Beth XxPS I’d love to hear about all the ways you take care of yourself in winter. Feel free to share in the comments!Lovely things for you* Free registration for my Winter Writing Sanctuary here* Lovely bundle of wintery goodies in this week’s giveaway on Instagram here* Cosy Reads for the Dark Season (podcast listener recommendations)* The Ultimate Gift Guide for Writers (affiliate link free, includes lots of free or close-to-free gift ideas)Books* Inventing the Christmas Tree by Bernd Brunner (translated by Benjamin A Smith)* Art of Climbing Trees by Henrik Dahle* The Hidden Seasons by Tristan Gooley* Winter Wellness by Rachel de Thample* The Gifts of Winter by Dr Stephanie Fitzgerald* Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton (99p on Kindle here or £3.99 on Audible here until Dec 23)Other links* In the Bleak Midwinter by Christina Rossetti, sung by the choir of Kings’ College Cambridge* And Winter Came album by Enya (includes song of the same name)* Christmas Tree Lab (here on Instagram)* The Ancient Tree Inventory (run by the Woodland Trust)* My Book Proposal Masterclass* Hedgehog Street* British Hedgehog Preservation Society* Carols by Candelight at St Martin in the Fields* A Simple Carol by Matt Evans Fog Chaser (journalling music)Ingredients for Rachel de Thample’s Citrus MisoTo make one bowl you will need:* 250ml shojin dashi, which you can buy or make using a recipe in Rachel’s book, Winter Wellness* 1 clementine or ½ orange* 1 tbsp miso* 2cm thumb of root ginger* 1 small garlic clove* 1 spring onion, ¼ leek or a handful of three-cornered leek* A dash of tamari or soy sauce to taste* 1 tsp seaweed flakes to servePhoto: Holly Bobbins This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit calmchristmas.substack.com

In our winter writing episode this week we are exploring the poetry of solitude and the solace of poetry. I hope you will listen somewhere quiet this week, notebook in hand, and love every moment of it.Episode 4 ‘On This Winter’s Night’ includes:* Some beautiful wintery poems* A writing invitation inspired by the moon* Some wonderful wintery words and their meanings* The tradition of Christmas cards* How to make a zine* A delicious gingerbread recipe* Some Christmas joy from English railway stations and the London Underground* This week’s Get Ahead TipsWith inspiration from Robert Frost, Lady A, David Whyte, Yosa Buson, Yuki Sawa, Edith Marcombe Shiffert, Paul Anthony Jones, Dianne Casey, the Academy of American Poets, Robert Hillyer, Matt Evans Fog Chaser, Kerri ní Dochartaigh, Mary Searle Chatterjee, the University of Birmingham Time for Letters project, John Julius Norwich, Charles Dickens, 42nd Street, Kate Trenchard, Helen Garcia, Barter Books, Morden Station, the London Underground, the staff of Axminster and Salisbury Stations and Alix Klingenberg.You can listen on Substack, Spotify or iTunes.I hope this episode offers moment of tranquility in a busy December,Beth XxLovely things for you* Alternative Advent Calendar on Instagram @bethkempton (free)* Winter Writing Sanctuary live writing class running December 29-Jan 4 online (free)* This week’s giveaway on Instagram @bethkempton (free)* SoulCircle (my private writing community on Substack) Books* A Winter Dictionary by Paul Anthony Jones* Haiku Master Buson translated by Yuki Sawa and Edith Markham Schiffert* Cacophony of Bone by Kerri ní Dochartaigh * The Ultimate Christmas Cracker by John Julius Norwich* Quietly Wild by Alix Klingenberg * Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton (hardback | audiobook just £3.99 in December | Kindle ebook just 99p until December 23)Other links (no affiliate links)* Good Hours by Robert Frost on poets.org* White Pine Press * Academy of American Poets * Winter Nocturne by Robert Hillyer on poets.org * A Simple Carol by Matt Evans @fogchaser * Christmas Cards and the Construction of Social Relations in Britain Today by Mary Searle-Chatterjee in Unwrapping Christmas edited by Daniel Miller p.176 * A Time for Letters project run by the University of Birmingham * How to make a zine via 42nd Street * Barter Books in Alnwick * Daily uplifting quotes on London Underground’s Morden Station on Instagram @MordenStation Ingredients for Kate’s gingerbread* 100 g butter* 3 tbs of golden syrup* 100 g dark muscovado sugar* half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda* one tablespoon of ginger* one teaspoon of cinnamon* half a teaspoon of cloves* half a teaspoon of nutmeg* 225 g plain flourImage: Holly Bobbins This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit calmchristmas.substack.com