It’s nearly Christmas Eve. Can you feel the magic hovering? If ever there was a time to take a deep breath and let go of all that has not been done to embrace what is here, that time is now. Pull up a chair and relax, my friend. It is Christmas, after all. This very Christmassy episode will ease you into Christmas, reminding you what really matters and encouraging you to let things be perfectly imperfect.

This episode includes: 

• A little story from the Arctic Circle
• A letter from Father Christmas
• A moment of reflection
• A wintery writing prompt 
• A quick craft idea to give you a fun thing to do on Christmas day
• Christmas traditions from around the world (from lovely listeners!)
• Our nature corner
• Those last few get ahead tips
• My Christmas message for you

With inspiration from: Matsuo Basho, Laurie Lee, Johnny Coppin, @NadiykaGerbish, Yaroslav Hrytsak, Dot May Dunn, Elizabeth Jenner, Malcolm Bird, Alan Dart, Kenneth Grahame, JRR Tolkien, Bailey Tolkien and Father Christmas.

 Handy links:

• Kakslauttenen
• Sweet Salty Spicy Party Nuts recipe
• Escape to a cosy world of words in my Winter Writing Sanctuary (FREE) December 28-January 6

Ingredients for Roasted Nuts recipe shared in this episode:

• Your choice of nuts (such as pecans, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews and almonds, and macademias) 
• Any extra flavours you might like such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds and fresh rosemary
• Maple syrup
• Butter (optional)

Featured in this episode:

• The Matsuo Basho haiku poem in this episode can be found in Basho: The Complete Haikutranslated by Jane Reichhold (Kodansha) p.658
• Letters from Father Christmasby JRR Tolkien, edited by Baillie Tolkien
• Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee - excerpt shared can be found in A Country Christmas edited by Johnny Coppin (The Windrush Press) p.47
• A Ukranian Christmas, by Nadiyka Gerbish and Yaroslav Hrytsak. (Sphere) p.11 and p.15
• Christmas Around the Village Greenby Dot May Dunn (Orion, p.46)
• What to look for in Winter by Elizabeth Jenner (Ladybird)
• The Christmas Handbook by Malcolm Bird and Alan Dart
• The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (as featured in Favorite Poems for Christmas: A Child’s Collection (Bushel & Peck Books) p.8

You can find all the show notes here: https://bethkempton.com/ccpodcast-shownotes/