WRITER'S DREAM; Christmas Writing

Is there anything nicer at this time of year than curling up with a laptop, ready for some festive writing?  I don't think so!  Christmas has to be the coziest time to be a writer and right now I'm sitting by the pretty Christmas tree with fairy-lights twinkling, dancing flames in the fireplace and the scent of Frankincense and Myrrh filling the room from my fairy oil-burner.  I have gingerbread hot chocolate in my gingerbread-man Christmas mug and a tub of Cadbury's Roses chocolates next to me - it's all so festive!

Writing over the festive period brings me great joy - it's probably one of my favourite times of year to write and I am always more productive during the dark season.  I find that summer drains me, but by the time the nights start drawing in, I begin to thrive once more.  I just love winter and being a writer during the winter season is a way for me to connect with all those writers who have gone before. 

It's impossible for me to write, while sitting beside the Christmas tree and not think of Charles Dickens dashing off A Christmas Carol in order to stave off bankruptcy.  Yes, our most loved Christmas novel was written when the author was in financial trouble and you could say that it wasn't just Scrooge who was saved by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come!   Dickens needed them too and they helped to save his career, as portrayed in the fantastic film The Man Who Invented Christmas, which I highly recommend if you've never seen it. 

It's also impossible for me to sit up in my study, writing at my escritoire desk without thinking of Louisa May Alcott's  Little Women and Jo March scribbling way at her dreams in the cold, candlelit garret with a pet rat for company.  I haven't seen the new film yet, but I'm looking forward to it. For me personally though, Josephine March will always be Winona Ryder.  She played the part to perfection and I'm not convinced that she can be topped. 

Likewise, it is impossible for me to enjoy a glass of eggnog without thinking of Jane Austen writing her wonderful Christmas ball scene in Emma and Mr Elton's infamously misplaced festive proposal! 

"A party is a party - but a party on a  Chriiistmas Eeeve...!" and then, "Who can think of Miss Smith, when Miss Woodhouse is near?!"  

Another Christmas novel I love is Angel by Elizabeth Taylor (not that Elizabeth Taylor! This one is a contemporary of Daphne du Maurier), in which the heroin Angel fakes illness so that she doesn't have to go back to school after the Christmas holidays, because she wants to stay at home and write a novel instead! I can totally relate to that and I may or may not have been guilty of the exact same thing in my own childhood!  

So you see, Christmas isn't just about my writing, or your writing, it's about all writing - past, present and yet to come. Just like Scrooge's Ghosts.   It's a time when people generally have more freedom to sit and create something, be that a story, a poem, a song or an essay.   It's a time of magic and wonder so of course it lends itself to the art of writing, which is a wonderful way to express yourself and feel the magic of inspiration.  It's a time to think about prepping your diary for next year, writing in your goals and ambitions - maybe even your writing goals and ambitions.

So while we won't all write something as memorable as A Christmas Carol or Little Women, we can all tap into the creativity of the festive season and the inspiration of the writers who helped to illustrate this magical time of year, through their novels.  

And for those of us who write professionally, there are still deadlines to meet even in the midst of the festive season, so I'd better crack on as my deadlines are January 4th,13th and 25th!  

Happy Christmas Writing! 

BB Marie x

BOOK NOOK; The Hygge Holiday by Rosie Blake

"The rain was drumming against the windows, the wind a distant whistle as Joe snuggled under a rug, a hot-water bottle clutched to his chest, chocolate buttons melting in his mouth, the beer flowing freely.  There was something to be said for Clara's hygge theory; staying in really was the new going out.  He felt his body relax into the sofa, the whole world outside the flat dissolve away so that it was just him in his snug space with a DVD for company."

Rosie Blake's The Hygge Holiday has been sitting prettily on the bookcase in my study since the springtime but I didn't want to read it until it was more seasonally appropriate.   When I woke up today, the wind howling and the rain lashing against the window-panes, I knew that the time had come.

It was one of those days where I woke up feeling like I needed a cosy day of restfulness to recharge my batteries.  I grabbed my umbrella and walked to the shops to pick up a few treats and when I got home, I got straight back into my pj's and grabbed this book, settling under the duvet for a day-long stint of reading.   

As the day never brightened, I dotted the room with burning candles, set my festive fireside ambient dvd playing on a loop, switched on all the Christmas fairy-lights and mulled some toffee-cider.  It's been lovely and cosy - perfect for reading this novel which is all about the benefits and charm of hygge, or the Scandinavian art of being cosy.

I first came across the concept of hygge back in 2010 at an A-HA concert, where I got chatting to a group of Norwegian girls.  They had brought the snow with them that year and we were laughing at how a slight flurry of snowflakes sets the UK off in a panic, while in Norway people just accept that everything will take a bit longer when the snow comes.  They are not expected to crack on with the daily grind as normal, but instead they slow down and take their time getting to work and back, or they have snow days.  They told me about hygge and I realized I'd been doing it for years, I just hadn't realized that there was a name for being as cosy as possible! I've been reading books about hygge ever since. 

The Hygge Holiday begins in the autumn when Danish tourist Clara arrives in the tiny village of Yulethorpe.  Here the last local shop is about to close down and Clara offers to help run the place until a buyer can be found in the hopes that she can turn the toy-shop around in time for the Christmas rush.  All is going well until the proprietor's son, Joe, comes up from London, determined to push the sale through. 

Joe works in The City and is always stressed, tired and worn out. When he meets Clara, a woman who likes slow-cooked meals, long walks at sunset and scented candles in all rooms, he thinks she's a tad crazy, but slowly the hygge life begins to appeal to him.   

While there are no great surprises in the story-line of this novel and it is fairly predictable, it is a lovely romance, full of seasonal cheer and it will leave you feeling very festive.   Yes, it's bog-standard chick-lit, but at this time of year I do love a good Christmas romance and the chick-lit genre has many to choose from, with a happy ending guaranteed.  This one gets bonus points for the dreamy pink and gold cover art!

The Hygge Holiday is like a manifesto for the benefits of slow-living, which I am naturally draw to on account of my thyroid illness.  The fact that slowing down and reading a book all day, while nibbling on festive treats and sipping hot chocolate or mulled cider has fast become a bit of a trend is great news for me.  I hate the busy,busy,busy lifestyle we are frequently pushed into, the expectation that we are constantly on call, forever reachable via mobile phones and email, that time at home is viewed as being less important than time at work - it's a recipe for high stress and little joy.  I prefer to live a life of much joy and little stress.  Slow-living and duvet days give me just that and keep me being productive. 

So if, like poor Joe, you've been running the 9-5 rat-race all week and you want to relax in a way that will make you feel all festive and ready for the Yuletide season, The Hygge Holiday is the perfect novel to curl up with this winter.   Don't forget the mulled cider and a faux fur throw. 

ONCE UPON A DREAM; Oh Holy Night

It's a cold December night and I am curled up on the chaise-lounge with my laptop, sipping a gingerbread hot chocolate and writing this blog-post by the twinkling light of my pretty Yuletide tree.   The Christmas candles are burning, filling the house with the scent of ginger and spiced clementine.  It's the end of a very festive week and so today I decided to put up all the decorations and make my home as cosy and festive as possible.

On Wednesday my mother and I went to see The Angels Are Coming event at Sheffield Cathedral and it was wonderful.  The entire building was the canvas for a festive sound and light show, with magical scenes of winter being projected onto the stonework, both inside and out.  First of all Father Christmas flew across in his sleigh, pulled by all his reindeer and dropping presents as he flew by.  

Next, to the strains of the Holly and the Ivy, those same plants grew up from the ground and twisted into festive wreaths and garlands, before making way for golden bells and trumpets playing, announcing the arrival of the Angels.   As the music changed again to the sound of choirs of angels singing, feathers began to fall - first just one or two, then the whole cathedral was covered in them.  Beautiful white feathers - a sure sign that angels are near!

Finally, the Angels themselves descended from on high, flying down from the church spire and across the building in all directions, their majestic wings beating as they went.  It was just so beautiful to watch.  Everyone had beaming smiles on their faces and it really did feel like we were in the presence of angels.  

Inside the cathedral was all lit up too.  The angel music continued and there were two huge Christmas trees on either side of the altar space, with a large steel-cast statue of the Nativity scene in the center.  Another angel was projected just above, his wings of light gently beating as he hovered over the Nativity. The cathedral walls and Gothic arches were covered in a light show of dark blue sky and silver stars, which reminded me of the great hall at Hogwarts!  We were indoors and out of the chill but still underneath a sparkling winter's night sky. 

 The magic of Yuletide was all around us. The Cathedral was welcoming all people of all faiths to this event and there was a very diverse mix, of all ages.  People were lighting candles and making wishes or remembering loved ones.  Some were writing their needs and troubles in the prayer book, or on labels to hang on the special Christmas tree that had been set up as a prayer tree.  These would be read out at the Christian prayer service the next day. 

I loved the idea of a Yuletide prayer tree!  It's the same concept witches use when we add someone's name to our Blessing Cup so that universal blessings will find them and guide them through a difficult time.  But to have an entire 6ft Christmas tree dedicated to this purpose is just so amazing - and a little bit Extra!  I loved it.

Sheffield Cathedral now holds such a special place in my heart.  Not only did I graduate there last month, but it helped to kick off December in a spectacular way. I had a Bailies hot chocolate and we enjoyed our first mince pies of the season in the Chancery cafe, before wandering around the cathedral and taking in the light show to our heart's content.  It was a fabulous evening out, though you can see from these pictures how cold it was - I have a nose Rudolph would be proud of!  It was a beautiful way to begin December as I have always loved angels and felt an affinity with them - that's why I wrote my book, Angel Craft and Healing.  

Then on Friday I took part in a charity event called Elf Day.  This is where you dress as an elf for the day in order to look like a prat and raise money for Alzheimer's Society.  It helps to raise awareness of the knock on effect such a diagnosis has on families and as I spent time in my 20's working in nursing homes and caring for people with Alzheimer's, I wanted to do a little bit to help raise funds for this much needed charity, especially as the social care service is such a shambles these days - more people have to rely on organisations like Alzheimer's Society for support.   Yuletide is after all, a time of giving and giving back so helping out with a charity event ticks both those boxes, plus it's a lot of fun. 

So what with angels and elves, it's fair to say that I woke up in the festive spirit this morning and spent a few hours happily decking out my house!  I do think that you have to play an active role in getting into the festive spirit - it doesn't just descend on you on December 1st. You have to participate in the season, doing seasonal things and enjoying festive outings, in order to nurture the joy of Yule within you.  If you don't, there's a chance you could experience the winter blues instead and who needs that?

I like to do festive things in December to kick start the season.  I like to create a lovely atmosphere in my house, getting as cosy as possible with faux fur throws, Christmas scented candles, hot chocolate and mince pies, while watching Christmas films or reading my books on Yuletide, Christmas, hygge and winter.  

I love winter. It's my favourite season of all.  I enjoy bundling up to go out in the cold, wandering round Christmas markets and doing my Christmas shopping.  It's a great time of year to really count your blessings and be grateful for what you already have. 

I hope this little post has inspired you to make the most of this magical time of year by visiting a winter show, or taking part in a charity event.  As for me, I'm going to put on my Winter Snowfall ambient DVD, get cosy by the fire and start writing out my Christmas cards, while playing a classical carols CD from Coventry Cathedral Choir. 
Whatever you are doing this month, I hope that you will enjoy keeping winter as much as I do.
Bright Blessings
Marie x